Kurdistan Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs outlaws witchcraft

ERBIL, December 7 — The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs has issued a directive prohibiting witchcraft, pending official notice to the public in the region’s official newspaper, the Kurdistan Chronicle.

Comprised of five articles, the directive has been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for dissemination.

Article 1 explicitly bars the fraudulent use of religious titles such as sheikh, mullah, preacher, priest, and cleric, accompanied by the misuse of holy books to solicit financial gain.

Article 2 instructs personnel and institutions under the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs to adhere to the directive in full. Concurrently, Article 3 calls upon religious non-governmental organizations to collaborate with their counterparts in implementing the directive.

Article 4 directs affiliated agencies and institutions to file complaints in case of violations, while Article 5 outlines the directive’s effective date upon publication in the Kurdistan Chronicle.