Iraqi court requests Parliament lift immunity of MP Sajad Salim Hussein
Shafaq News/ The presidency of the Wasit Court of Appeal has requested the Iraqi Parliament lift the immunity of MP Sajad Salim Hussein, head of the "Qiyam" civil alliance, on charges of "defamation" against the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
According to the request, signed by Chief Prosecutor Judge Najm Abdullah Ahmed, the charges against Hussein fall under Article 433/A of the Penal Code. The accusations stem from social media posts in which Hussein allegedly "defamed the PMF and accused its leadership of committing murders."
The dispute between Hussein and the PMF dates back nearly two years, when Hussein, according to media reports, accused the head of the PMF, Falih Al-Fayyadh, and its Chief of Staff, Abu Fadak Al-Mohammadawi, of involvement in the killing of protesters during the October 2019 demonstrations. Hussein was a prominent activist in these protests in Wasit Governorate, where he resides.
On December 19, 2022, a lawyer affiliated with the PMF filed a lawsuit against Hussein due to his statements against its leaders. The second conflict arose from media comments in which Hussein referred to the PMF as "parallel militias that carry weapons and do not comply with the law and the state."
In a recent Facebook post, Hussein reiterated his support for integrating the PMF into security institutions or civil ministries to "honor the efforts and bravery of its fighters in battling ISIS." He emphasized the need to regularize the status of PMF members, ensuring they have official employment numbers in the Ministry of Finance, which would secure their rights to pensions and job guarantees.
