MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The conservatives' proposal to vote on alcohol ban caught their opponents off guard, according to the BBC News.
The supporters of the ban reportedly point out the incompatibility of alcohol free sales and consumption with the moral principles of Islam, whereas the opponents insist that the ban violates the constitutional rights of religious minorities and promise to appeal the decision.
Iraqi parliament votes to ban sale, import & production of alcohol https://t.co/ZIuYBJ4MXL
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) 23 октября 2016 г.
Alcohol is not on the menu of many restaurants or hotels, but it can nevertheless be found in Iraq, especially in the capital, Baghdad.
The parliament's vote comes amid the Iraqi forces' advancement on the city of Mosul in the north of the country, to liberate it from the Islamic state terrorist group, outlawed in Russia and many other countries.