It seems that the task of combating corruption in Iraq is almost impossible in light of the refusal of partisan and political figures, accused of embezzling billions of dollars, to appear before the judicial authorities, which makes it difficult to curb the phenomenon of corruption that has become rampant in various parts of the state.

These difficulties did not stop the Integrity Commission and the State Anti-Corruption Committee, which are concerned with oversight, from continuing to open large corruption files, which are expected to issue new arrest and summons orders against a number of defendants in the near future.

Al-Asadi pointed out that the work of the Anti-Corruption Committee is limited to looking into orders or complaints referred by the government (Al-Jazeera Net)

big corruption files

The former Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior, Jamal al-Asadi, told Al Jazeera Net that the work of the Governmental Anti-Corruption Committee is limited to looking into and investigating orders or complaints referred to it by the Prime Minister, or referred by the Integrity Commission in particular, estimating the size of the corruption files currently before this committee. Between 30 and 50 files.

At the end of August 2020, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi formed a committee to investigate corruption cases headed by Lieutenant-General Ahmed Abu Ragheef and with the membership of a representative of the Financial Supervision Bureau, the Intelligence and National Security Service and the Integrity Commission, and entrusted the task of implementing arrest warrants issued by this committee to the Counter-Terrorism Service.

As for the overlapping of powers between this governmental committee and the tasks of the Integrity Commission, Al-Asadi stated that there is close cooperation between the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Integrity Commission to resolve major corruption files related to those with special degrees, political figures, and issues that require the approval of the Prime Minister or the approval of the intelligence, security and control agencies. submitted for investigation.

Over the past years, Iraq has witnessed an outbreak of corruption in all parts of the state, which has led to a large waste and embezzlement of public money, ranging between 300 and 400 billion dollars, according to regulators, accusing influential parties, blocs and political figures of embezzling these funds and smuggling them abroad.

A previous meeting between the Integrity Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission in Baghdad (the Commission's website)

Conviction of 1500 government

The Investigation Department of the Integrity Commission issued 55 arrest warrants and recruitment orders against high-ranking people, against the background of cases and files that the commission investigated and referred them to the judiciary last August, noting that 9 arrest warrants and 46 recruitment orders were issued.

The department added - through a statement - that the arrest and recruitment orders included 7 members of the House of Representatives, as well as two former ministers and 3 former undersecretaries of the Ministry, and those orders included 9 former governors, 9 current and 11 former general managers, and 14 members of provincial councils.

Al-Asadi commented on the arrest and recruitment orders issued against a number of current and former officials, saying that they were followed up by the Investigations Department of the Integrity Commission, and that the Anti-Corruption Committee had nothing to do with it, estimating the total investigative files in the Commission alone at 12,850 accumulated files.

He pointed out that the rate of corruption complaints - which reaches the Integrity Commission from various parties - is about 250 complaints per month, which is equivalent to 3,000 complaints annually, adding that the judicial authorities issued judgments based on these complaints against 1,500 officials during the past 10 years.

Yassin: The investigations of the Integrity Commission and the Anti-Corruption Committee did not stop due to the increase in corruption files (Al-Jazeera Net)

New arrest warrants

Despite the multiplicity of oversight bodies and the joint cooperation between them, corruption continues to grow and grow, and no force can stop it. Rather, these various bodies are unable to bring political and party figures and hold them accountable for these major thefts.

In turn, the anti-corruption activist Saeed Moussa Yassin indicated to Al-Jazeera Net that the arrest and recruitment orders issued recently by the Investigation Department come to complete the investigation of small corruption files, explaining that the large corruption files have been referred to the Anti-Corruption Committee and it is in the process of issuing new arrest and recruitment orders against some the accused.

A while ago, political blocs and parties criticized the work and performance of the Anti-Corruption Committee, which detains dozens of those involved in theft of public money, accusing it of committing illegal violations of torturing the accused and forcing them to extract confessions.

Since the formation of the committee, arrest warrants have been issued against more than 52 political and administrative figures, including the head of the Al-Hal Party Jamal al-Karbouli, the director of the National Retirement Authority Ahmed al-Saadi, the former governor of Nineveh, Nofal al-Akoub, and businessman Baha Alaa Abdul Razzaq al-Jourani.

Yassin continued his speech that the investigations conducted by the Integrity Commission and the Anti-Corruption Committee did not stop due to the increase in corruption files during the past two years and will be referred to the judiciary after its completion, indicating that there are political figures who refuse to appear before the investigative judges, which affected the progress of the investigations.

Al-Khalidi considered that the wanted deputies could be arrested by the judicial authorities after the parliament was dissolved (Al-Jazeera Net)

take shelter in parliament

At a time, Al-Kazemi authorized the Commission to investigate corruption cases the right to request any priorities or information related to the cases it is considering, from any institution in the state, but 20 deputies refused to appear before the investigative judges of the Integrity Commission and the Anti-Corruption Committee, according to the anti-corruption activist.

Yassin indicated that this refusal prompted the judicial authorities to demand the Presidency of the House of Representatives to lift their immunity, but the House of Representatives did not respond.

Based on the position of the legislative authority, the Federal Court issued a decision last June in which it confirmed that there is no immunity for members of the House of Representatives in the event that any of them is accused of a flagrant crime, a misdemeanor or a violation.

And last Thursday, the immunity of members of the legislative authority was lifted after parliament dissolved itself in preparation for the elections that took place last Sunday.

The head of the "Bayariq Al-Khair" bloc, Muhammad Al-Khalidi, told Al-Jazeera Net that the 20 representatives wanted by the judiciary, who refused to appear before the judiciary, were now able to arrest them.

Al-Khalidi demanded that the judicial authorities prevent the wanted MPs from traveling to prevent them from fleeing outside the country.

He pointed out that 10 of the representatives wanted by the judiciary nominated themselves in the recent parliamentary elections, urging the judicial authorities to expedite dealing with them, lest they return to Parliament again and obtain immunity that prevents them from being held accountable if they win the elections and take the constitutional oath.