Allawi warns of disintegration of the legal system of the Iraqi state
Allawi warns of disintegration of the legal system of the Iraqi state
2024-09-28
Allawi said in a statement today, “Tahrir Square witnessed a peaceful protest yesterday in which we expressed our absolute rejection of attempts to amend the Personal Status Law, stressing that these amendments constitute a direct threat to the rights of women and children in Iraq.”
He added that “laws are enacted to protect the rights of citizens, especially the most vulnerable groups such as children and women, and this is what is included in constitutions and international conventions,” adding, “However, we note with concern attempts to undermine these established laws that form the basis for protecting these rights in Iraq.”
Allawi also pointed out that “the proposed amendments are not only related to changing legal texts, but also threaten to dismantle the legal system that the state has established for more than six decades, which could lead to undermining the social values and foundations on which the Iraqi family is based.”
He stressed the need for legislation to focus on protecting the rights of Iraqi citizens and promoting social justice, rather than harming them, calling on the relevant authorities to reverse these amendments and work to pass laws that raise the status of women and children and ensure their protection.
The Iraqi Council of Representatives had completed the first reading of the proposal to amend the Personal Status Law on August 4th. The proposal to amend the law sparked widespread controversy among the representatives in parliament, and the controversy extended to civil society organizations, legal experts, and the Iraqi street, with some rejecting the amendment and others supporting it.
On September 16, the Iraqi Council of Representatives completed its report and discussion of the proposed law to “amend the Personal Status Law,” in preparation for voting on it in another session.
The amendment to the Personal Status Law sparked widespread controversy within Iraqi society, between those who opposed and supported it, so the Iraqi government decided to discuss all the comments raised about it through the “Supreme Council for Women’s Affairs.”
Opponents say that amending the law allows the marriage of minors and deprives the wife of the rights of alimony and custody, in addition to adopting the religious texts of each sect and denomination in Iraq as a reference for rulings instead of the laws in force.
shafaq.com
