Baghdad: The Human Rights Committee addresses public opinion and civil society organizations regarding the draft law on freedom of expression. Head of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, Arshad Al-Salihi, confirmed that the agenda for next Saturday’s parliament session will include a vote on the law on freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Al-Salihi emphasized that freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed, and that the law to be voted on does not restrict peaceful demonstrations, but rather the opposite. He explained that the committee took into account the observations of all organizations, media, and press. The requirement to obtain permission from the government has been canceled and replaced with a provision to merely inform the head of the administrative unit about the demonstration. Additionally, no party has the right to prevent a peaceful demonstration under any pretext. The draft law also eliminates criminal penalties for peaceful demonstrators, such as imprisonment. Furthermore, the title of the law has been changed to the Peaceful Demonstration Law, reflecting the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression under Article 38 of the Iraqi Constitution.

The committee, Al-Salihi noted, incorporated all proposals submitted by human rights and civil organizations, indicating their commitment to ensuring no suppression of free speech or governmental overreach.