The United Nations expressed its rejection of the law ratified and approved by the Iraqi Parliament, which criminalizes same-sex relations and transgenderism and called for its abolition.

Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement, “This law contradicts numerous human rights treaties and agreements ratified by Iraq, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and must be repealed.”

Over the weekend, the Iraqi parliament passed a law that would impose severe prison sentences on homosexuality and transgender people.

The acting Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, said in a statement that voting is a necessary step to protect the value structure of society and to protect our children from calls for moral decadence and homosexuality.

This came at a time when both the United States and Britain also objected to the law approved by the Iraqi Parliament.