BAGHDAD — The highest court in Iraq decided on Tuesday to dismiss a legal challenge that had previously paused the enactment of three significant laws passed by the national parliament last month.

These contentious laws, each backed by different political factions, introduce several changes aimed at various aspects of Iraqi society. One of the key elements is an amendment to the personal status law, which grants Islamic courts greater control over family-related issues, such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Critics have raised concerns that this change may undermine women’s rights across the country.

Another law included in this package is a general amnesty that opponents argue could permit the release of individuals involved in public corruption, embezzlement, and militants responsible for war crimes. The third proposed legislation focuses on returning lands that were confiscated from the Kurdish population during Saddam Hussein’s regime, which has led to fears among some that it could result in the displacement of Arab residents living in those areas.

In its ruling, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court revoked a prior judicial order that had suspended the implementation of these laws. This decision followed a lawsuit filed by several lawmakers who sought to prevent the laws from taking effect. The court affirmed that all enacted laws must adhere to the Iraqi constitution.

The lawmakers who initiated the lawsuit argued that the voting process was not legitimate since the parliament voted on all three laws as a package rather than considering each piece of legislation separately. This prompted the Federal Supreme Court to issue a temporary suspension while the case was under review.

Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani expressed his approval of the amnesty law’s passage in a statement, highlighting a commitment to addressing the grievances of families with loved ones incarcerated.

“In response to the heartache shared by the mothers of the innocent, we took action within Parliament to reach a political consensus for the general amnesty law,” he stated. “Thank God, we achieved what others could not, culminating in a successful vote and implementation of the law.”