Iraqi parliament speaker defends omnibus bill on controversial laws as ‘political custom’

BAGHDAD — Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani defended the passage of three contentious laws by asserting that voting on them as an omnibus bill is a ‘political custom’, according to his interview with Dijlah TV.

Al-Mashhadani said, “The issue of a single-vote package is a political custom,” adding that he follows parliamentary regulations with the precision of a mullah’s precise recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha.

He addressed the recently passed General Amnesty Law, emphasizing that it is conditional rather than a general pardon. “The judiciary acknowledged the presence of innocent people in prison,” he said, and noted that during the Islamic State era after 2014, courts relied on a “preventive judicial concept” that prioritized suspicion over certainty, resulting in convictions based on secret informants.

Al-Mashhadani dismissed concerns over sectarian influences, stating, “Labeling laws as Shiite, Sunni, or Kurdish is incorrect.” He alleges that the General Amnesty Law, one of the three measures, would impact multiple communities—with Sunnis comprising only 10% of those covered.

On Jan. 21, after months of political deadlock among Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish factions, lawmakers approved the Personal Status Law, the Property Restitution Law, and the General Amnesty Law in a single vote.

One of the most debated provisions is an amendment to the Personal Status Law, which critics contend could weaken the protections for women and girls provided by the 1959 legislation. The Property Restitution Law, supported by Kurdish lawmakers, aims to restore homes in disputed areas—particularly in Kirkuk—to Kurdish and Turkmen families displaced under the Baath regime. Those properties had previously been reassigned to Arab settlers, uprooting thousands. The General Amnesty Law, which modifies a 2016 pardon statute, has been a key demand of Sunni parties who argue that many were “wrongfully detained” on terrorism charges following the Islamic State’s 2014 takeover of predominantly Sunni governorates. The law has also been a central issue for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s administration.

Excerpts from Al-Mashhadani’s interview with Dijlah TV:

I do not make mistakes in applying the internal regulations of Parliament, just as a mullah does not make mistakes in reciting Surah Al-Fatiha. The issue of a single-vote package is a political custom.

We faced enormous international pressure regarding the Jaafari Personal Status Law, but international delegations found no violations in its text. They told us that the international community hears incorrect information about Iraq because we have not clarified the truth to them.

The Amnesty Law is conditional, not general. When I assumed the presidency of Parliament, it was nearly complete. The judiciary acknowledged the presence of innocent people in prison. After 2014, the legal system operated on a preventive judicial concept, favoring doubt over certainty in issuing rulings. As a result, many were convicted based on secret informants, for example.

Defendants have the right to appeal to a judicial committee of three judges to review their investigative files. However, this does not necessarily mean they are innocent or have a legitimate claim. What will happen is a reinvestigation without pressure or torture.

The Amnesty Law has tightened penalties for corrupt officials. Previously, an accused person would serve six or seven years and then be released. Now, they must return the full stolen amount to be released. Otherwise, they will remain in prison, even for 100 years.

The dispute between the Federal Court and the Supreme Judicial Council is technical, nothing more. Voting in a single package on the three laws is a political custom because one party said they would vote on the Personal Status Law and then leave the session.

The Federal Court was in a difficult position after receiving 16 appeals against the laws. Ignoring them would have created a problem, so it took a middle-ground approach—it neither dismissed the appeals nor proceeded with suspending the laws.

The protests were an emotional reaction because people were happy about the Amnesty Law, then felt disappointed. We agreed within the State Administration Coalition to calm the situation.

Labeling laws as Shiite, Sunni, or Kurdish is incorrect. The Amnesty Law will cover Sunnis by only 10%, while the rest will be from other groups. The Personal Status Law has a Sharia code for Sunnis as well, but it is still pending. The real estate law also affects Turkmens and Arabs.

I closely monitor Parliament’s security apparatus down to the smallest details. I even know who laughs in committee meetings. However, some corrupt individuals contracted with catering companies tried to obstruct the passage of the Amnesty Law, but they failed.

The U.S. ambassador told me that the armed groups’ attacks from Iraq must stop and that the United States may not continue pressuring Israel to refrain from responding. I told her that the solution is to end the war in Gaza, not to stop the factions from attacking.

The Prime Minister informed me about his only phone call with Trump. Trump thanked and appreciated the Iraqis, saying they contributed to his victory in swing states. At the end of the call, he asked about Iraq’s relationship with Iran, and Al-Sudani explained the nature of the ties. Trump did not make any requests regarding the armed groups.