Iraqi MP calls for questioning Interior Minister over extradition of Kuwaiti opposition figure

Shafaq News/ An Iraqi MP submitted an official request to the Speaker of the Parliament for an inquiry into Interior Minister, Abdul Amir al-Shammari, over the extradition of Kuwaiti opposition figure to Kuwaiti authorities.

In his request, the Member of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, Nissan Al-Zayer described the action as "a violation of the Iraqi Constitution, particularly Article 21, Paragraph 2, which prohibits the extradition of political refugees to any country."

The lawmaker also emphasized that the extradition represented a breach of constitutional and humanitarian standards and called for the minister to be held accountable for this decision.

On Wednesday, a security source told Shafaq News that Iraqi authorities arrested the Kuweiti citizen Salman Al-Khalidi, “who was wanted on criminal charges and for verbal assaults, and handed him over to Kuwait via the Al-Abdali border crossing.”

Al-Khalidi had previously stirred controversy with a video targeting the Kuwaiti royal family, which angered Kuwaiti authorities.

The extradition has sparked widespread controversy in both political and human rights circles, with calls for clarification regarding the reasons and implications of the move.

In response, the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior provided details of the extradition of the "suspect" to Kuwait, stressing its adherence to international cooperation under Interpol agreements.

The ministry clarified that “the operation was carried out in coordination between the Iraqi and Kuwaiti Interpol offices following a Kuwaiti arrest warrant and a notice from the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council, after fulfilling legal procedures with the Iraqi judiciary.”

Iraq, as a member of Interpol, is committed to the extradition of wanted individuals in line with international agreements, the Interior Ministry emphasized.