Christians for Iraq say alcohol ban dey undemocratic

Christian politicians for Iraq dey attempt to overturn legislation banning di import and sale of alcohol.

Dem give customs officials orders on Saturday to enforce di ban. E become law last month despite opposition.

Di group, wey get five seats for Iraq parliament, bin file lawsuit saying e dey undemocratic.

Public alcohol consumption dey frowned upon for Iraq, a predominantly Muslim country, but dem fit buiy am liquor stores or licensed bars.

Dem pass di law originally for 2016, impose a fine of up to 25m Iraqi dinars (£14,256).

E prohibit di sale, import or production of alcohol - and only become official last month, seven years since dem pass am, after appearing for di official gazette.

E remains unclear how strictly di law fit dey enforced, and whether di kontri Federal Supreme Court will knock it back.

For dia appeal to di court, members of di Babylon Movement insist say di legislation dey unconstitutional because e ignore di rights of minorities and restricts freedom.

E also contradict goment decree, adopt less dan a week before di gazette dey published on 20 February, setting duty at 200% on all imported alcoholic drinks for di next four years, dem say.

Sarmad Abbas, one estate agent wey dey stay for Iraq capital Baghdad, tell di AFP news agency say di ban dey merely push alcohol sales onto di black market.

E acknowledge say Muslim teachings forbid di consumption of alcohol. "But dis na personal freedoms wey you no fit forbid citizens from practising," e tok.

According to reports at di time, di bill dey originally proposed by Mahmoud al-Hassan, den one MP for Iraq State of Law Coalition.

E say e bin dey for keeping with Article 2 of Iraq 2005 constitution, wey prohibit any legislation wey go against Islam, di AP news agency write.