“It was banned in the past too, but not by the people. The freedom of the people cannot be taken. Even a stronger one than ISIS cannot ban this. The government should promote freedom. There was not freedom during ISIS, forcing us to obey,” store owner Visam Sleman, told Rudaw.
During ISIS rule, the sale and consumption of alcohol was banned. The governor of Saladin reintroduced the conservative ruling last week.
“Ahmed Abdullah al-Jubouri, the governor of Saladin Province, ordered the closure of all alcohol shops across the entire province. We as Shargat district obey the order of the governor, so we also ordered the closure of all alcohol shops,” Ali Dahdoh, the mayor of Shragat district, told Rudaw.
Some residents support the ban.
“Many youth don’t know how to drink. They drink a lot and become drunk, so they violate rules and norms. They shoot and cause problems,” Ali Fayaz, a resident of Shargat district, told Rudaw.
Others don’t want to see a return to ISIS-era rules.
“Let people enjoy. Those who want pray can go to mosque and those who want to drink, let them drink. This decision will take us back to ISIS rules. Let people be free and drink,” Robhi Sobhi, a resident of Shargat district, told Rudaw.
The sale and consumption of alcohol is legal under federal Iraqi law, yet some provinces determine special places and hours for alcohol shops to open.
The Saladin provincial cities of Baiji and Tikrit – Saddam Hussein’s birthplace and stronghold – fell to ISIS in 2014. The group introduced a raft of ultra-conservative rules including a complete prohibition of alcohol.
The province was liberated in 2016 by the Iraqi security forces, Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitias, and a US-led coalition air campaign. Pockets of ISIS remnants and sleeper cells remain in the province, however.
