The College of Law – University of Baghdad Discusses a Master’s Thesis on Human Trafficking for the Purpose of Forced Labor in National and International Law
The College of Law at the University of Baghdad held a discussion of a master’s thesis entitled “Human Trafficking for the Purpose of Forced Labor in National and International Law—A Comparative Study,” by the student Duaa Jassim Hassan, from the Department of Criminal Law. The discussion took place on Sunday, June 29, 2025, in the college’s conference hall.
The examination committee consisted of the following members:
1. Prof. Dr. Amal Fadel Abdul-Khashan (Chairman)
2. Asst. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Salem Abd (Member)
3. Expert Dr. Iyad Abdul-Hamzah (Member)
4. Asst. Prof. Dr. Qaed Hadi Dahesh (Member and Supervisor)
The thesis aimed to shed light on forced labor as a form of human trafficking, which is considered a manifestation of organized crime. Its danger lies in the fact that it is not confined to the borders of a single state but may extend across multiple territories due to the increasing openness of borders, ease of transportation, and the use of advanced communication methods by perpetrators.
The thesis was divided into three chapters:
•The first chapter addressed the conceptual framework of the crime of human trafficking for forced labor.
•The second chapter discussed the legislative models for this crime.
•The third chapter dealt with mechanisms for protecting victims and measures to combat human trafficking for forced labor.
The thesis presented several key recommendations, including:
1. The Iraqi legislator should add a provision to the Iraqi Anti-Trafficking Law that defines forced labor as:
“Labor in which voluntariness and choice are absent on the part of the victim and which is imposed forcibly through the use of threats or coercive means.”
2. The Iraqi legislator should amend the phrase “trafficking in women or minors” in Article 13 of Penal Code No. 112 of 1969 to “trafficking in persons,” as the latter is more inclusive and encompasses all forms of human trafficking.
