Amnesty International warns of Iraqi Bill threatening freedom of expression and assembly

BAGHDAD — Amnesty International has warned that a draft law currently under discussion in Iraq’s parliament regarding freedom of expression and peaceful assembly could further shrink civic space, arguing that its passage would pose a direct threat to fundamental rights guaranteed under Iraq’s constitution and international treaties. 

The bill is expected to be put to a parliamentary vote on Saturday amid growing criticism from human rights organizations and civil society groups. 

Razaw Salihy, Amnesty International’s Iraq researcher, stated that the law, in its current form, grants authorities additional tools to suppress dissent and silence critical voices under the pretext of public order or morality. “The draft law contradicts Iraq’s international obligations and endangers public freedoms. Lawmakers must not allow it to become another legal instrument for suppressing free speech and restricting liberties,” Salihy added. 

Journalists, human rights defenders and activists in Iraq already face harassment, threats and arrests under vague defamation laws and certain penal code provisions used to criminalize free expression. 

The human rights organization organization noted that individuals who speak out against corruption or the deterioration of public services, such as electricity, water and infrastructure, are frequently targeted in a political and social environment increasingly hostile to independent voices. 

Iraq’s parliament first debated an initial version of the bill in December 2022 before revisiting it in May 2023. 

Amnesty International had previously raised concerns about provisions imposing excessive restrictions on free expression and assembly, warning they could lead to new waves of arbitrary arrests and detentions. 

As Iraqi lawmakers prepare to vote, human rights advocates are intensifying pressure to reject or amend the bill in line with international standards, a last-ditch effort to safeguard what remains of public freedoms in Iraq.