Civil society, journalists urge Iraqi parliament to pass access to information law

Shafaq News/ Iraqi society organizations and journalists urged the Iraqi parliament on Thursday to pass a law that would guarantee the public's right to access information.

The call came during a conference organized by the Babel Tower Media Development Organization, which brought together government officials, lawmakers, and journalists.

"The law would be a major step forward for Iraq," said Abdul Rahman al-Mashhadani, an advisor to the Iraqi prime minister. "It would allow citizens to hold their government accountable and would promote transparency and good governance."

Mohammed Anouz, vice chairman of the Iraqi parliament's legal committee, said that the current system of access to information is "unreliable and opaque."

"People should have the right to know how their government is spending their money and how it is making decisions that affect their lives," he said.

Babel Tower Media Development Organization has been working for years to promote the passage of an access to information law. The organization has drafted a model law that it has submitted to the parliament.

The government has also submitted a draft law to the parliament. The two drafts are currently being studied by the parliament's legal committee.