Storefronts of closed alcoholic beverage outlets in Karrada, the Christian quarter of Baghdad, at the end of November 2024. (Credit: Heloïse Wiart)
In the streets of Baghdad, surveillance has intensified. As night falls, alcohol shops – marked by the logos of major whiskey brands like Glenfiddich, Jameson and Chivas – are now under the watchful eye of armed soldiers, standing silently next to their armored vehicles.The authorities have kept these establishments in their sights since the 2016 legislation banning the sale, production, and import of alcohol in Iraq (excluding Kurdistan) came into effect. Following an extension of the ban passed by Parliament on Nov. 17, even social clubs and hotels, some of the last places still serving alcohol, have now ceased to offer it.The luxury of consuming alcohol“The Saturday night after the vote, no one showed up. It was a shock for everyone,” said the management of al-Alwiyah, one of the busiest social clubs in Baghdad, near Firdaws Square....
In the streets of Baghdad, surveillance has intensified. As night falls, alcohol shops – marked by the logos of major whiskey brands like Glenfiddich, Jameson and Chivas – are now under the watchful eye of armed soldiers, standing silently next to their armored vehicles.The authorities have kept these establishments in their sights since the 2016 legislation banning the sale, production, and import of alcohol in Iraq (excluding Kurdistan) came into effect. Following an extension of the ban passed by Parliament on Nov. 17, even social clubs and hotels, some of the last places still serving alcohol, have now ceased to offer it.The luxury of consuming alcohol“The Saturday night after the vote, no one showed up. It was a shock for everyone,” said the management of al-Alwiyah, one of the busiest social clubs in Baghdad, near Firdaws...