Participation of corrupt officials in election undermines trust in judiciary


With less than 4 months until election day, Iraqis have been surprised when they knew that the same old candidates will stand for the upcoming elections although some of them are involved in corruption cases, undermining their trust in the Iraqi judiciary.

The judiciary, which is supposed to be the country’s first line of defense against corrupt officials, is no longer performing its duty, according to observers.
Currently, the judiciary has become a gateway that enables corrupt officials to have a political career, they noted.

Corrupt candidate have been able to cross the judicial authority and run for election. Surprisingly enough, some of them have headed electoral alliances. This reveals how the judiciary has been controlled by political and partisan agendas, they added.



Analysts say Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s will not deliver on his promises concerning fighting corruption.

Abadi has failed to keep his word. He was only concerned about making electoral gains, they noted.

Some corrupt officials implicated in corruption cases have joined Abadi’s electoral alliance, they added, referring to the sacked defense minister Khaled al-Obeidi.

Last year, the Iraqi parliament impeached the defense minister over corruption charges, removing him from office.

Most of the ministers, whose grilling in the parliament has not been completed, will stand for elections, including Minister of Electricity Qasim al-Fahadawi, Minster of Communication Hassan al-Rashid, and Minister of Education Mohamed Iqbal.

Former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, who heads State of Law Coalition, will contest elections although he has been accused of siphoning off $500bn during his tenure and being behind the fall of Mosul.



A judge from Iraq's Integrity Commission, the country's top body assigned to fighting corruption, said on Thursday major graft cases that the body was planning to open will be delayed. They will be opened after the elections.

These major corruption cases, according to the judge, include files relating to the ministry of electricity, an arms deal with Russia, Iranian schools and complexes in Karbala and Basra.

The cases also include the food stamps given to citizens on a monthly basis, dollar bidding in the central bank, and smuggling the Iraqi oil abroad to Lebanon, Iran and Turkey.

The judge accused parliament of procrastinating the anti-corruption push by not passing a law that expands the powers of the Integrity Commission.

It is ironic. Lawmakers themselves, who are supposed to issue a legislation to fight corruption, are involved in these cases, he added.


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