An Iraqi Christian woman forcibly registered as Muslim can change religious affiliation in the official state database, Iraq’s highest appeals court ruled.
Maryam, whose name has been changed for security reasons, was born into a Christian family and had been registered as a Christian. But when her mother remarried a Muslim man, her religious affiliation was swapped to conform with her stepdad’s religion, in accordance with Article 26(2) of the Iraqi National Card Law No. 3 of 2016, which says “minor children shall follow the religion of the parent who has converted to Islam.”
Setting a precedent
When Maryam became a legal adult in January 2025, she filed a legal claim seeking to be officially recognized as a Christian. An Iraqi court ruled in favor of her case in May 2026, and the Iraqi Court of Cassation upheld that ruling.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, which is legally backing Maryam, says her case has “set a precedent for religious minorities across the region.”
ADF International reports that Maryam’s two younger sisters plan to take similar legal action to switch their religious affiliation to Christian once they are of the age of majority.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Hannah Davis and originally published by Decision Magazine.
