Oh wow! Iraq’s parliament passes law banning alcohol

Iraq’s parliament has passed a law forbidding the importation, production or sale of alcoholic beverages, a move that angered many Christians in the business, a media report said on Monday.

The law stipulated that anyone violating the ban would be punished by a fine of up to 25 million Iraqi dinars or 21,000 dollars.

However, the law met strong protests from the Christian community in the country for it would affect Christians and other minorities who drink alcohol.

The report noted that the ban could shutter hundreds of liquor stores in the country, mostly run by Christians.

Monadhel as-Mosawi, a Shiite parliamentarian, told newsmen that many of the crimes committed in Iraq were due to drug and liquor consumption.

He said “if you check crimes committed in Iraq, you would find that most of them were committed because of drugs and liquor.

“So `, we are trying to stop this as much as we can.

“It is not only Christians that drink liquor, many Muslims do too, this is evidence that the law does not target Christians or others,’’ Monadhel said.

However, opposition lawmakers said the law was unconstitutional as it violated personal freedom guaranteed by the constitution.

According to a Christian lawmaker, Joseph Slaiwa, the ban is unconstitutional, as the constitution acknowledges the rights of non-Muslim minorities and ethnic groups who live alongside Muslims in Iraq.

Report says the law comes as Iraq wages massive military offensive to retake the northern city of Mosul from the Islamic State group.

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