Source: http://gjpi.org/wp-content/uploads/iraqiconst19250321.htm
Timestamp: 2018-01-17 11:01:03
Document Index: 45039691

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 1', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 72', 'Art. 77', 'Art. 98', 'Art. 114']

Constitution of the Kingdom of Iraq (1925)
[Translation] (1)
Art. 1. This law shall be known as _The Iraq constitution_; its provisions shall be in force in all parts of the Kingdom of Iraq.
The King is the supreme head of the State. He confirms laws, orders their promulgation and supervises their execution. By his order regulations are drawn up for the purpose of giving effect to the terms of laws, in so far as such laws contain provisions therefor.
The King issues orders for the holding of general elections to the Chamber of Deputies and for the convocation of Parliament. He opens Parliament, adjourns, prorogues or dissolves it, in accordance with the provisions of this law.
Should necessity arise, when Parliament is not sitting, for taking urgent measures for the maintenance of order and public security, or to ward off a public, danger, or for the urgent expenditure of public moneys not authorised by the budget or by special law, or for the fulfilment of treaty obligations the King shall have the right of issuing ordinances, with the concurrence of the Council of Ministers, having the force of law, directing that the necessary steps shall be taken according to circumstances, provided that they are not contrary to the provisions of this constitution Such ordinances must all be laid before Parliament at its first session, with the exception of those issued for the purpose of fulfilling treaty obligations approved by Parliament or the Constituent Assembly. Should Parliament not approve these ordinances, the Government must declare them to be no longer operative and they shall be considered to be abrogated as from the date of such declaration. Such ordinances shall be signed by all Ministers.
The word _law_ shall include ordinances issued in accordance with the provisions of this article, unless the text contains anything to the contrary.
The King concludes treaties. He may not ratify them, however, until they have been approved by Parliament.
The King select. the Prime Minister, and upon the recommendation of the latter appoints Ministers and accepts their resignation from office.
The King appoints the members of the Senate and accepts their resignation from office.
The King, upon the proposal of the responsible Minister, appoints and dismisses all diplomatic representatives, civil officials, qadhis and civil judges, and bestows military rank, unless, ill accordance with special regulation, he delegates that power to some other authority. He also has the right of conferring honours and titles and similar marks of distinction.
The King is Commander-in-chief of all the armed forces. He declares war subject to the consent of the Council of Ministers. He concludes treaties of peace, provided that, he shall not definitely ratify them until approved by Parliament. He may also proclaim martial law to be in force, subject to the provisions of this law.
The coinage shall be struck in the King's name.
The death sentence shall not be, carried out until confirmed by the King. The King may reduce sentences or remit them by special pardon. He may also pronounce a general amnesty subject to the consent, of both assemblies.
Who is not a national of Iraq.
Who is less than 30 years of age in the case of deputies and less than 40 years of age in the case of senators.
Who has been adjudicated bankrupt and has not been legally rehabilitated.
Who has been interdicted, such interdiction being still in force.
Who has lost his civil rights.
Who has been sentenced to a. term of imprisonment, for a period not less than 1 year in respect of any offence not of a political nature, or has been sentenced to any imprisonment for theft, bribery, breach of trust, forgery, fraud or any other crime incompatible with personal honour.
Who has a material interest direct or indirect in any contract with a public department of Iraq, unless such interest arises from his being a shareholder in a company composed of more than 25 persons. Farmers of land tax and lessees of Government _mulk_ (2) and _miri_ (3) lands shall be excepted from the operation of this clause.
Who is a lunatic or an idiot.
Who is related to the King in such degree as may be prescribed by special law:
In the event of a dissolution of the chamber, fresh elections must. be held. The new chamber shall be convoked in extraordinary session within a period not exceeding 4 months from the date of dissolution. This session shall be held in accordance with the terms of article 39 of this law relating to adjournment and extension. Such session must be prorogued on the 31st October in any event, in order that the first ordinary session of the period mentioned above may begin at the beginning of November. If the extraordinary session occurs in the months of November and December, such session shall be considered the first ordinary session of that period. If the Chamber of Deputies is dissolved for any special reason, the new chamber may not. be dissolved for the same reason.
When not in ordinary session, the King may convoke Parliament for an extraordinary session to deal with matters referred to in the order of convocation. Such session shall be prorogued by Royal Irada.
Art. 57. The meetings of both assemblies shall be open to the. public. At the request, however, of one of the Ministers, or four of the senators, or ten of the deputies, the debate on the question under discussion shall be conducted in camer_.
The manner of exercising and maintaining the powers, privileges and safeguards conferred upon the assembly by this law.
The transaction of the business of both assemblies and the conduct of debates, whether sitting separately or jointly.
All draft laws must be submitted to one of the two assemblies. It passed, they shall be submitted to the other assembly. They shall not become law unless passed by both assemblies and confirmed by the King.
Both assemblies shall deal with draft laws presented to them by the Government. After they have been passed, they shall be submitted to the King, who shall either confirm them or return them, stating his reasons for so doing, within a period of 3 months. Should one of the assemblies decide that any draft law is of an urgent nature, such draft law must be confirmed, or returned within a period of 15 days for reconsideration, together with a statement of the reasons for so doing.
Any draft laws rejected by both assemblies shall not be re-introduced during the same session.
Art. 72. All sittings of the courts shall be open to the public, unless some legal justification exists for holding sittings in camer_. Judgments of the courts, as well as the proceedings thereof, may be published, except those relating to sittings held in camer_. All judgments shall issue in the name of the King.
Shara courts.
The spiritual councils of the communities.
Art. 77. Justice shall be administered in the Shara courts in accordance with the terms of the Shara doctrine peculiar to each of the Islamic sects, in conformity with the terms of a special law. The Qadhi shall be a member of the sect to which the majority of the inhabitants of the place to which be is appointed belong, maintaining the appointment of both Sunni and J_aferi Qadhis in the cities of Baghdad and Basra.
Matters relating to marriage, dowry, divorce, separation, alimony, attestations of wills other than those attested by a notary public (with the exception of those matters coming within the jurisdiction of the civil courts relating to members of the community), but excluding foreigners who are members of such community.
Any other matter of personal status relating to members of the communities, if the parties so agree.
For the trial of members of the Iraq military forces for offences mentioned in the Military Penal Code.
For settling criminal and civil cases relating to the tribe, in accordance with tribal custom as provided for by special law.
For the settlement of disputes arising between the Government and Government servants concerning their duties.
For investigating disputes relating to the possession or boundaries of lands.
Art. 98. The budget estimates shall be sanctioned by an annual law known as _the budget law_. The budget law must contain an estimate of the income and expenditure for the year in question.
Art. 114. All proclamations, regulations and laws issued by the Commander-in-chief of His Britannic Majesty_s forces in Iraq, the Civil Commissioner, and the High Commissioner. and those issued by the Government of His Majesty King Faisal during the period between the 5th November, 1914, and the date of the coming into force of this constitution, shall be considered to be valid as from the date on which they came into force. Any portion thereof still unrepealed by that date shall remain in force until changed or repealed by the legislative power, or until the High Court issues a decision rendering them null and void, in accordance with the provisions of article 86.
Should the interpretation relate to the provisions of this constitution, it shall appertain to the High Court, as stated in part V of this law.
Should the interpretation relate to any law connected with the administration of public affairs, it shall appertain to the Diwan Khas, as stated in Part V of this law.
Any other matters requiring interpretation shall appertain to the courts of justice having jurisdiction in the cases in which need for interpretation arises.
Made at Baghdad on the 21st day of March, 1925, and the 25th day of Sha_ban, 1343.
(1) Approved by the Minister of Justice and published in the Iraq Government Gazette_, No. 31, August 12, 1928.
(2) _Mulk_ means owned property as declared by a deed. Therefore government _mulk_ means government owned property. Land under that category was leased or sold to people interested in cultivating them or whatever they were zoned for. (Explanation given by Mr. Shalan Kadri, webmaster of The Constitutional Monarchy Movement.)
(3) _Miri_ means any land which is not registered as a government or state property, or as an endowment, and not privately owned to
individual(s). Thus _miri_ land belonged (but not owned) by default to the state of Iraq. The government encouraged individual(s) to cultivate the land but not to built fixed establishments in it. Explanation given by Mr. Shalan Kadri, webmaster of The Constitutional Monarchy Movement.)
British and Foreign State Papers, 1926, Part I, Vol. CXXIII, London 1931, pp. 383-402.
NB! The webmaster takes no legal responsibility for any possible mistakes found at this page. Any amendments or modifications to the Constitution which possibly came into force between 12 August 1928 and the abolishment of the monarchy (coup) 14 July 1958, have not been taken into consideration in this version.
(first time published in February 2000).
_ 2000, 2001 Dag Trygsland Hoelseth