ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Iraqi parliament’s Committee on Culture, Tourism, Antiquities, and Media announced Tuesday that it has submitted the Right of Access to Information bill to the parliamentary leadership for inclusion on the legislative agenda.

The  committee’s acting chair and members said the bill has undergone extensive review, including multiple workshops, hearings, and consultations with civil society organizations, unions, and parliamentary committees, according to statement from the parliament’s media.

The lawmakers emphasized that the legislation was refined through in-depth discussions to ensure compliance with the constitution and international agreements while addressing concerns from all stakeholders.

“The committee has voted on all articles and sub-clauses, finalizing the draft and submitting it to the parliamentary speakership,” the statement added.

Previous drafts of the bill have been heavily criticized by journalists, activists, and human rights organizations, over concerns that it would curtail freedom of expression.

Journalists argued that the bill contradicts the principles of democracy and would limit their ability to practice the profession, citing elements in the bill which grants authorities the right to classify information as “secret” and prohibit the media from accessing.

 “The bill does not grant the right to obtain information, contrary to its title, and it also places many restrictions on obtaining information, whether by journalists or citizens,” Mustafa Nasser, head of Iraq’s Association for the Defense of Press Freedom, told The New Region in August 2024.

In July 2024, ARTICLE 19, a UK-based rights watchdog promoting freedom of expression and information, said that they were “deeply concerned about the current proposal’s inclusion of problematic provisions and definitions that pose disproportionate restrictions on the ability of individuals to exercise their right to information,” calling on the Iraqi government to withdraw it.