Shafaq News/ A persistent mix of legal peril and tribal retaliation has forced many Iraqis to think twice—or walk away entirely—when faced with accident victims in need, leaving some to bleed to death on the roadside. 

The widespread reluctance to intervene in emergencies has persisted for years and continues to claim lives. In response, the Iraqi Parliament began drafting the "Volunteer Rescuer Protection Law" in 2018, aimed at removing criminal liability for those who offer emergency assistance.

Despite its urgency, the bill stalled amid political hurdles. It was eventually shelved, before being reactivated and approved by the Iraqi Cabinet during its 17th regular session, following a legal review by the State Council. The draft law has now been returned to Parliament for the completion of legislative procedures.

Critical Law

Described by lawmakers as one of Iraq’s most critical health-related pieces of legislation, the law is intended to “safeguard human life,” said Wafaa Al-Shammari, a member of Parliament’s Health Committee.

Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, Al-Shammari stressed the committee's full support and determination to pass the law in the current parliamentary session.

Al-Shammari also pointed out that anyone could be involved in an accident, and the absence of a responder can mean the difference between life and death.

However, she noted that “the real impetus behind the law is the growing phenomenon where individuals transporting victims to hospitals are subjected to legal questioning or tribal pressure from victims’ families.”

The draft law remains under study. A first reading is scheduled, to be followed by revisions and a second reading, before it can be finalized and voted into law.

According to the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq, 2023 saw 12,000 traffic accidents. In the first half of 2024 alone, 3000 accidents were recorded. The center reports that collisions accounted for 57% of incidents, while pedestrian-related accidents represented over 32%. In terms of casualties, 3,021 people died and 12,314 were injured in 2023, while 2024 has already seen 1,000 deaths and 4,360 injuries.

Protecting Rescuers

Khaldoun Al-Saab, founder of the Immediate Volunteer Rescue Group, told Shafaq News Agency that public hesitancy to intervene has recurred in many incidents.

He emphasized the urgent need for a law to provide legal backing for volunteer rescuers, especially given Iraq's high daily accident rate that requires swift, lifesaving intervention.

“Many citizens avoid helping for fear of legal or tribal consequences,” Al-Saab said. “If this law is passed, it would offer them protection and encourage more people to step in and save lives.”

9 Articles Only?

Lawyer Waleed Al-Shibli, speaking to Shafaq News, said the draft law consists of just nine articles. The preamble emphasizes the need to protect volunteers, rescuers, and whistleblowers from prosecution, provided they intend to save a life.

Al-Shibli cited the widespread tribal threats against helpers—even when their actions stem from good intentions—as a key reason for the legislation.

“Too many victims have bled to death in full view of people capable of saving them,” he said.

Under the draft, any threat against a volunteer rescuer, regardless of the eventual outcome for the injured party, is considered a crime. Article 4 stipulates temporary imprisonment for anyone who threatens, hints at, or initiates tribal retaliation against a volunteer.

Still, Al-Shibli argued that the provisions could have been incorporated as amendments to Article 370 of Iraq’s Penal Code rather than forming a standalone law.

He also suggested the law should define tribal threats as “acts of terrorism,” similar to the legal treatment of tribal assaults.

Crucially, Al-Shibli criticized the bill’s definition of a volunteer rescuer as someone with professional qualifications.

He argued this narrow scope overlooks many ordinary citizens who possess basic medical knowledge or first-aid training, calling for a more inclusive legal definition to ensure wider protection.