Iraq's ban on alcohol import sparks controversy over personal freedoms and economic impact

Shafaq News / The decision to ban the import of alcoholic beverages in Iraq has sparked a heated debate among citizens and experts alike. While some applaud the move as a step towards promoting conservative Islamic values, others have criticized the decision as unwise and detrimental to personal freedoms and Iraq's economy.

As the country grapples with the aftermath of years of conflict and instability, the controversy over the alcohol ban highlights the challenges facing Iraq as it seeks to balance religious and cultural values with the need for economic growth and social freedoms.

The ban was imposed by the Iraqi General Authority of Customs, which directed customs areas and centers to prevent the entry of alcoholic beverages of all kinds. The move came after the Municipal Imports Law was published in the Iraqi Gazette on February 22, with Article 14/I prohibiting the import, manufacture, and sale of alcoholic beverages and imposing heavy fines on violators.

However, some lawmakers have criticized the law, claiming that it violates constitutional articles and infringes on personal freedoms.

Joseph Seliwa, a member of the Iraqi parliament and vice president of the Beth Nahrin Patriotic Union, stated that the law had been objected to in 2016 and was published without the contentious paragraph. He alleged that extremist groups active in the Karkh area had influenced the Presidency of the Republic to reinstate the paragraph in the law.

“There is frustration mostly among Muslims who believe in personal freedom. It is not the duty of the government to lead the citizen to heaven, let alone violating constitutional texts and violating freedoms."

He continued, "Likewise, the law has negative economic repercussions, including the fear of foreign investors when they see religious extremism and Iraq gradually turning into Afghanistan, but with a Shiite cover. In addition to unemployment among those who work in this profession, from different components including Muslims, who have resorted to this profession to make a living after the government failed to provide them with job opportunities."

“Some Islamists rely on a paragraph in the constitution that states that it is not permissible to enact laws that contradict the principles of Islam. However, in the same freedom section of the constitution, it is mentioned that it is not permissible to enact laws that contradict the principles of democracy”, seliwa noted.

The ban has also raised concerns among economic experts, who warn of its detrimental effects on Iraq's economy.

Humam al-Shamma, an economic expert, called the ban an "unwise decision" and suggested that it would not be effective in curbing alcohol consumption, as people would resort to smuggling and the use of informal outlets to obtain alcoholic beverages.

He also noted that the ban would have negative social effects, such as the substitution of alcohol with drugs.

In response to the ban, the Iraqi Council of Ministers decided to impose an additional customs duty of 200% on imported alcoholic products for a period of four years without reduction, and to monitor the local market during the period of application of additional customs duties.