Iraq’s Top Court Halts Implementation of Controversial Legislation
The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq has temporarily halted the enforcement of three contentious legislative measures passed by the nation’s parliament last month. This decision comes following a complaint by several parliament members, who argued that the voting process for these bills was unlawful. The bills, which were all supported by different political blocs, were voted on collectively rather than individually.
The primary concern among activists centers around an amendment to Iraq’s personal status law. This amendment would increase the authority of Islamic courts in family matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Women’s rights advocates are particularly worried, arguing that these changes could undo previous reforms that established a unified family law with protections for women. Advocates of the amendment, mainly conservative Shiite lawmakers, claim that the changes aim to align the law with Islamic principles and limit Western cultural influences in Iraq.
Notably, earlier iterations of the amendment raised concerns about potentially enabling child marriage since some interpretations of Islamic law permit the marriage of girls as young as nine. The final version passed by parliament specifies that marriage parties must be “adults,” although it does not define the age of adulthood.
The second bill suspended by the court involves a general amnesty law. This legislation is perceived as favoring Sunni detainees, but it has raised fears that it might allow the release of individuals involved in corruption, embezzlement, and war crimes.
The third legislative measure aims to return lands taken from Kurds during Saddam Hussein’s rule. However, this bill faces opposition from some Arab groups, who contend that it could lead to the displacement of Arab residents.
For more details, you can read the original report from the Associated Press here.
