Iraq issues 50 arrest and summons orders against officials and MPS
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Media and Communications Office of the Iraqi Integrity Commission announced than 50 arrest and summons orders issued and executed against senior officials and special ranks during January.
The Office's statement clarified that 39 summons orders and 11 arrest orders were issued from January 1st to January 31st, 2024.
The orders against 46 individuals holding senior and special ranks were based on investigations conducted by the Commission's directorates and investigation offices in Baghdad and the other governorates and referred them to the judiciary.
The orders were against three former ministers, a current and a former member of parliament, a former deputy minister, eleven current general directors, and 11 former general directors. Additionally, they involved a current governor, 14 former governors, and three former members of provincial councils.
It is noteworthy that financial corruption remains a significant challenge in Iraq, with Transparency International ranking the country 154 out of 180 in the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
The country also ranked fourth as the most corrupt in the Arab World after Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and Libya.
Various forms of corruption, including bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and influence peddling, have a detrimental impact on the Iraqi economy, leading to a lack of basic services, increased poverty, and political instability.
After assuming his position, PM Al-Sudani pledged to "combat corruption" in the government institutions; so far, many officials have been referred to the judiciary but still, many others are protected by political and sectarian parties.
