Nineveh Council Member Challenges Land Distribution Decision in Court

NINEVEH, Iraq — Muhammed Arif, a Shia member of the Nineveh Provincial Council, has filed appeals with administrative and federal courts against a recent council decision regarding land distribution and municipal classifications. Arif stated that the decision ignores the constitutional status of minorities and fails to consider the rights of all communities. He cited Article 23/3-B of the Iraqi Constitution, which protects minority regions and the Nineveh Plains against demographic changes. According to Arif, the areas of Celiho Han and Kize Fehra, administratively linked to the Bartile sub-district, were included in decisions regarding building bans and population changes. He claimed that despite having over 1,750 martyrs, 7,000 wounded, and 17,000 employees, the local population has not received any land allotments. Arif further noted that while an administrative court issued a final ruling in favor of 32 employees in the Bartile municipality, executive authorities have not implemented the decision. He called on political forces within the council to focus on recovering areas currently outside the administrative control of the local government.