Rights and Freedoms Council Warns against Enacting Information Technology Crimes Law

mesoiraq - The Iraqi Rights and Freedoms Council warned of the dangers of legislating the draft Information Technology Crimes Law, scheduled for a second reading in Parliament, considering that the law poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and undermines public freedoms and silences voices.

In a statement, the Council said that the parliamentary committees' disregard for objections submitted by civil society, journalists and stakeholders, and reliance on a draft that sidelines rights, represents a deviation that turns legislation into a tool for gagging mouths and tightening restrictions on freedom of opinion and the press.

The statement identified four main reasons for absolute rejection: violating the constitution as the texts conflict with Article 38 of the 2005 Iraqi Constitution, using vague and legally undefined terms such as undermining national security and religious values, excessive custodial sentences reaching life imprisonment, and a security-oriented approach reflecting a mindset seeking to dominate the digital space rather than protect citizens' rights.

The Council demanded the immediate withdrawal of the draft law from Parliament's agenda and its re-drafting with effective participation from civil society organizations, media institutions and legal experts to ensure the protection of digital rights without compromising freedom of expression.