Iraqi parliament pulls protest bill after backlash over free speech concerns

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Parliamentary Human Rights Committee said Tuesday it has withdrawn a controversial draft law on protests and public assemblies following widespread objections from civil society groups and rights organizations.

In a statement, the committee said the original version of the bill, introduced by the government, “included provisions that touched the core of freedom of expression and protest, and nearly gagged voices.” It cited specific concerns about prior-approval requirements for protests and the use of vague terms such as “disturbing public order and morals,” which the committee said could be exploited to restrict peaceful dissent.

The committee said it had amended the bill to replace the approval requirement with a notification process, removed vague legal language, eliminated prison penalties of up to seven years, and added protections for journalists. It also included provisions banning live ammunition against peaceful demonstrators and allowing protests to evolve into sit-ins.

Despite these changes, the committee said the revised draft was still rejected by some rights groups. “We were surprised by the rejection of the amended bill by some rights organizations without fairly reviewing its details or appreciating the national effort made to safeguard rights and freedoms,” the statement said.

It attributed the continued criticism to “political motives or foreign pressures unrelated to human rights principles,” and warned that without legislation governing protests, the country risked future unrest and a repeat of deadly crackdowns like those that occurred during the 2019 Tishreen protests.

The Tishreen movement, which began in October 2019 and continued through May 2021, saw mass demonstrations over corruption, unemployment, and poor public services. More than 600 people were killed during the protests, according to the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights — a figure higher than official government estimates.

“The committee believes that the absence of a clear law will mean… the fall of more victims without legal accountability,” the statement said.

The committee confirmed the bill’s withdrawal “at this time,” adding, “We retain our constitutional right to reintroduce it in the future in a form that respects rights and safeguards order.”