Kut fire victims seek Ex-Governor ban from Iraq's election

Shafaq News – Wasit

Families of the Kut Hypermarket fire victims have requested Iraq’s Judicial Election Commission to bar former Wasit Governor Mohammed Jamil Al-Miyahi and other officials from the November 11 parliamentary elections, pointing to ongoing criminal investigations into the deadly blaze.

Citing Iraq’s Election Law No. 9 of 2020, which requires candidates to have good conduct and a clean legal record, the petition noted that Al-Miyahi appeared in court and was released on bail, even as the investigation continues.

The families also urged the commission to review the former governor’s legal status, stressing that barring his candidacy is crucial to secure justice for the victims’ relatives.

Read More: Disqualified candidates: Iraq's electoral body under fire

The Hypermarket fire in Kut, the capital of Wasit province, on July 16, 2025, killed more than 70 people—many of them women and children—and injured dozens more, sparking public outrage and calls for accountability.

In September, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani endorsed the investigative committee’s findings, holding the former governor, the provincial civil defense director, and other officials responsible for approving the building’s electricity connections, which are believed to have triggered the fire.