Except, of course, for the gays:
The Iraq government is considering the release of some 5,000 prisoners but a spokesperson said it would not include terrorists or homosexuals.
The Iraqi government has about 20,000 people in custody, while the U.S. military holds about 25,000.
Homosexuality itself is not illegal in Iraq, but police regularly arrest gays on other charges often trumped up.
The amnesty bill drafted by the Shiite-dominated government falls far short of Sunni demands. About the only thing on which the two sides agree is that imprisoned gays not be freed.
...
Death squads imposing strict Islamic law are reportedly responsible for the murders of hundreds of gay men across Iraq.
Last year the leader of an exiled Iraqi LGBT rights group told a London conference on homophobia that that militias blamed for the murders of hundreds of gay men and women are sanctioned by the government and the US-led coalition is doing little to stop the killings.
Ali Hili said that the Badr and Sadr militias - the armed wings of the two main Shia parties that control the government of Iraq - are routinely rounding up men and women, primarily in Baghdad, suspected of being gay. The men and women are never heard from again.
...
In 2006 the Iraq government strongly criticized a U.N. report on human rights that put its civilian death toll in 2006 at 34,452, saying it is "superficial" because it included people such as homosexuals.
Well, actually, it doesn't appear to be quite as bad as all that--they just objected to anyone insinuating that gays ought to have rights. Like they're people or something?
Although to be fair, I don't know what was the situation for gays in Iraq under Saddam's rule, and have no reason to believe it was any better... except that I don't think Hussein allowed roving gangs of militiamen on his watch.
Via Ed Brayton.
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