The Department of Law at the University of Human Development convened an academic panel on ‘International and Constitutional Protection of Human Rights: The Role of Law in Protecting Rights and Freedom’ for two of its lecturers, Karwan Awrahman Ismael and Asos Namiq Brakhas. The panel took place at Professor Dr Ali Qaradaghi Hall on 17 December 2025. It was moderated by Law Department lecturer Hardi Tofiq Mustafa.

Asst Prof. Mr Awrahman focused on several issues related to the topic. He emphasised that every single human must enjoy their basic rights identified in the universally agreed and UN-sponsored package of ‘human rights,’ regardless of their race, gender, nationality, colour, religion, etc. These rights guarantee human dignity and freedom, on which many international treaties and agreements that detail individual rights have been drawn, he mentioned.

He highlighted the fact that the present Iraqi Constitution gives great importance to human rights and obliges the state to respect them; e.g., women’s rights, rights of freedom of thought and expression, equality before the law, prohibiting oppression, etc. The Constitution also obliges Iraq to respect international treaties and agreements on human rights.

The second panellist, Dr Brakhas, spoke about the importance of law in maintaining peace in society, realising social justice, organising individuals’ behaviours, and protecting the public’s interests in a country. The law also plays a key role in protecting human rights by fighting and eliminating threats to human rights, she argued.

Mr Mustafa concluded the panel with a few comments and took questions from the audience.