Acknowledgements

This report was written by Scott Long, director of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights program at Human Rights Watch.  The report is based on research conducted by Rasha Moumneh, researcher in the Middle East/North Africa division at Human Rights Watch, and by Scott Long.  It was edited by Samer Muscati, researcher in the Middle East/North Africa division; Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle East/North Africa division; Bill Frelick, director of the refugee policy program; Aisling Reidy, senior legal advisor; and Joe Saunders, deputy program director.  Jessica Ognian, Grace Choi, Anna Lopriore, and Fitzroy Hepkins provided production assistance.

Ahmad A. Ahmad, professor in the department of religious studies at the University of California Santa Barbara and consultant to Human Rights Watch, researched and drafted materials on shari'a law.  Invaluable support for Human Rights Watch's research was provided by Georges Azzi and Ghassan Makarem as well as other staff and volunteers of Helem in Lebanon; Ali Hili of Iraqi LGBT; Stephany El Haddad; Lea Bardaghgi; Hania Mufti; and Nir Rosen. Staff of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) also provided extensive assistance.   Numerous people both inside and outside Iraq who cannot be named for their own safety, or their families' security, furnished information and help in many other ways.