Iraqi MP warns against Personal Status Law amendment over health and legal concerns

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iraqi MP Alia Nassif warned against the proposed amendment to the Personal Status Law, which would legitimize marriages conducted by unlicensed clerics, citing concerns over the spread of genetic diseases and HIV/AIDS.

In a statement addressing two proposals distributed in Parliament for amending the Personal Status Law, Nassif criticized the idea of unlicensed cleric marriages, noting that while such unions produce legally recognized children, these children remain unregistered and lack legal identity.

Nassif highlighted that marriages officiated by unlicensed clerics do not require couples to undergo medical examinations for hereditary or immune diseases, potentially increasing the incidence of genetic disorders, deformities, and HIV/AIDS. 

She added that if a husband abandons his wife and evades proof of marriage, it could lead to honor crimes. She questioned whether an unlicensed cleric, performing the marriage for a fee, would enforce the waiting period (Iddah), which is sacred for preventing lineage confusion.

Emphasizing the significance of the law for Iraqi families, Nassif called for clear and unambiguous legal texts. She criticized the two proposals, referring to them as disorganized ideas intended to complicate the legislative process, and rejected them entirely.

The Iraqi Parliament adjourned its regular session on Wednesday due to disputes among members over various laws, including the amendment to the Personal Status Law and the General Amnesty Law.

The Iraqi Communist Party also warned against voting on the proposed amendment, arguing that it would institutionalize sectarianism and religious division.