Iraq turns 9 Senior Former Officials over to Judiciary

The Iraqi government has announced that it had turned nine senior former officials over to the judiciary regarding corruption charges, and pledged to turn others over soon, news agencies reported.

In a statement, the Iraqi Supreme Anti-Corruption Council referred to corruption cases of “nine high-ranking officials to the judiciary after the completion of the legal procedures supported by evidence.”

The council stressed that more cases of corruption “will be referred successively to the judiciary.”

However, monitors believe that this measure was announced in order to deescalate the mass protests which have been sweeping the country, protesting corruption, unemployment and lack of public services.

They claim that the government is not dedicated to fighting corruption, as all of the named officials are currently out of the country.

Addressing the Iraqis on Wednesday, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi declared that he would refer a number of senior officials to the courts over corruption charges.

Early this month, the Anti-Corruption Council announced turning 1,000 public servants over to the judiciary, due to corruption charges.

Iraqi officials stated that the judicial authority had formed a special committee in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Council, to make decisions regarding these people as soon as possible.