Erbil investigates election campaign violations, seeks fines for offenders

Shafaq News/ On Monday, Erbil Mayor Karzan Hadi announced that investigations are underway into election campaign violations by some parties and political entities that have disregarded the instructions of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).

During a press conference, Hadi stated that the municipality had observed several breaches of the IHEC's regulations, affirming, "Today, we addressed these violations, as several parties and political entities used prohibited areas, such as median strips, green zones, and traffic signals, for election advertisements."

Hadi also noted that Erbil Municipality had submitted an official report to the IHEC, seeking to impose fines on the parties and entities violating election campaign laws, emphasizing “the importance of everyone adhering to the instructions to ensure a fair and regulated election campaign.”

In a related context, Duhok Governor Ali Tatar announced on Sunday that violations by some parties and candidates had been detected, with campaign posters and banners placed in unauthorized locations, obstructing traffic and disrupting the movement of citizens.

On September 25, the Kurdistan election campaign began, with Shafaq News Agency documenting the widespread display of candidates' posters along roadsides and in public squares across Erbil, the capital of the Region.

Back in June, President Nechirvan Barzani issued a Regional decree setting October 20, 2024, as the official date for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.

In a televised speech, the president urged for a "civilized" election process, stressing “the need to combat hatred and respect women's status.”