IRAQI CONSTITUTION: From Balkinization:

…Now Nathan Brown (author of the path-breaking Constitutions in a Non-Constitutional World: Arab Basic Laws and the Prospects for Accountable Government) has provided a translation (PDF) of the biggest leak so far–the draft bill of rights for the Iraqi constitution. He has also provided a wonderful commentary on the text.

The highlights? Strongly stated protections for speech, religious liberty, equality under the law, science. Relatively robust protections for women, though more in their capacities as mothers than anything else. A strong prohibition on torture, including an absolute ban on using confessions acquired by torture in court. Many social rights. Very little mention of Shari’a. All in all, this is a very interesting document and shows that the Iraqis are not just copying other countries’ constitutions–but also that they are not just copying international human rights agreements either.

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