Iraqi parliament works on amendments to security personnel law

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's parliamentary Security and Defense Committee is reviewing the second amendment to the Internal Security Forces Service and Retirement Law, committee member Ali Ithnir said. The proposed amendment aims to restructure the career path of officers and personnel and to insulate promotions from favoritism. According to Ithnir, the amendment package sets promotion conditions under a system to be proposed by the Interior Minister and approved by the Chief of Staff. It removes rank-based requirements and shifts the criteria to merit, earned service and active duty. The draft also lowers the voluntary retirement age, counts postgraduate qualifications toward service seniority, and addresses the financial and administrative files of martyrs and wounded personnel. Committee member Osman Shaybani said the delay in bringing the bill to a vote reflects efforts to ensure officers and personnel receive legal guarantees for a dignified retirement after their years of service. He added that fixed numerical ceilings will be set to prevent the accumulation of promotions, and that admission capacity at the Police College and the Higher Institute for Security and Administrative Development will be expanded.