Iraq's top court rejects appeal against lifetime diplomatic passports
On Thursday, Iraq's Federal Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the provision granting lifetime diplomatic passports to members of Parliament and their families.
The case was filed by MP Mohammed Jassim Mohammed, who challenged Article 2 of Law No. 6 of 2025—an amendment to the 2015 Passport Law—arguing it was unconstitutional. The court rejected the claim due to the plaintiff's lack of legal standing.
This is the second such ruling by the Federal Court this year. In March, independent MP Amir al-Maamouri also had his appeal rejected in a similar challenge against Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani.
Parliament approved the amendment on January 13, 2025, expanding eligibility for diplomatic passports beyond Foreign Ministry personnel. The law has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and watchdogs alike.
In 2023, the Parliamentary Integrity Committee revealed that over 32,000 diplomatic passports had been issued, including 10,000 granted to individuals with no ties to the Foreign Ministry or diplomatic corps.
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