Under Public pressure Iraqi Federal Parliament postponed Personal Status law amendment
The Iraqi parliament postponed its vote on the amendment, and the Legal Committee of the Iraqi Parliament has called for consultation with civil society organizations and activists.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – According to several sources, an Iraqi official disclosed that the proposal of amending of the personal status law was at the Supreme Shiite Marja'I’s request.
However, according to the Iraqi local media networks, and particularly local media sources in Najaf reported the Supreme Shiite Marja'i did not meet with any MPs or politicians, and no recent MPs and politicians’ visits to the Supreme Shiite Marja'i have been reported.
Criticisms and protests made against that step by the activists, civil society organizations and human rights watch. Therefore, the Iraqi Parliament, under the pressure, suspended introducing the bill of amending the personal status law.
According to the sources, the Iraqi parliament was warned to arrange a consultation with activists, civil society and human rights organizations in regards to amend the law.
Thus, the Iraqi Federal Parliament, on Wednesday, decided to postpone the bill, as well as involving the Article 57 of the 1959 Personal Status law.
The article 57 deals with the child custody, even for the mother to have To-Live with Order after the divorce. the Legal Committee at the Iraqi Parliament intervened and proposed for the amendment to take place, but in consultation with the civil society, women's organizations and human rights watch agencies.
The Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) rejected to have the amendment bill to the Personal Status in their agenda.
According to ICP’s statement, the amendment bill is considered as a breach to the law, it would be against the Article 14 of the Iraqi constitution, as it states "All Iraqis are equal before the law, without any discrimination.”
The level of opposing increases and thousands of petitions have been collected, joint campaigns and posts have gone viral through the social platforms under the title (the Hashtag “No, to amending the Personal Status Law”).
A solicitor Ala Aziz who works in the personal status record department, said the new bill of amending personal status law would cast a dark shadow on the laws that have already taken place. He added "It will have a catastrophic impact on the people’s personal situations, and on the divorce rate.”