Al-Nakheel Center: Iraqi government must shield lawyers from hate speech

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Al-Nakheel Center for Press Rights and Freedoms condemned the "incitement and threats" campaigns against lawyers and activists for exercising their legal and constitutional right to express opinions on amending the Personal Status Law.

The Iraqi Parliament's proposed law faces strong opposition from jurists, lawyers, and women activists focused on family and children's rights.

The Center affirmed in a statement that it has observed "an increase in hate speech and treason against lawyers and activists, particularly from media platforms known for their biased affiliations and past incitement against journalists."

Moreover, it regretted the clerics' involvement, criticizing their use of "obscene words and accusations, contrary to religion and morals," holding the Iraqi government and its executive bodies "accountable for protecting opinion-makers from ongoing intimidation," and urging "strict legal action against those responsible."

Earlier, Human Rights Watch (HRW) strongly criticized the Iraqi Parliament's proposed amendment to the Personal Status Law, which shifted oversight of marriage and inheritance from state law to religious authorities. The amendment, which allowed girls as young as nine to marry and legalized unregistered marriages, was seen as a major rollback of women's and girls' rights. HRW warned that it entrenched sectarianism, stripped protections for divorced women, and violated international treaties on gender equality and human rights.