Concerned about the spread of genetic diseases and HIV/AIDS, Iraqi MP Alia Nassif issued a warning on Friday against the proposed amendment to the Personal Status Law, which would authorize marriages performed by unlicensed clerics.
Nassif criticized the idea of unlicensed cleric marriages in a statement addressing two proposals for amending the Personal Status Law that were presented in Parliament. Despite the fact that such unions produce children that are legally recognized, these children remain unregistered and lack legal identity.
Nassif emphasized the fact that couples marrying officiated by unlicensed clerics are not required to undergo medical examinations for hereditary or immune diseases, which could lead to an increase in the prevalence of genetic disorders, deformities, and HIV/AIDS.
She went on to say that a husband who abandons his wife and fails to show that they were married could be guilty of honor crimes. She questioned whether an unlicensed cleric who performed the marriage for a fee would impose the sacred Iddah waiting period, which is meant to avoid confusion regarding one’s lineage.
Nassif emphasized the significance of the law to Iraqi families and demanded that legal documents be crystal clear. She criticized the two proposals and rejected them completely, describing them as chaotic ideas designed to make the legislative process more difficult.
On Wednesday, members of the Iraqi Parliament disagreed about a variety of laws, including the General Amnesty Law and the Personal Status Law’s amendment.
Additionally, the Iraqi Communist Party cautioned against voting on the proposed amendment, claiming that doing so would institutionalize religious division and sectarianism.
