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Prosecution of top officials over corruption; Iraq says

reporter 1222 — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 11:04:21 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – A high-ranking Iraqi official says authorities are going after prosecution of a number of top officials and refer them to the judiciary for trial over charges of corruption, as part of the government’s reforms after a wave of protests over unemployment, corruption, and lack of public services hit the country.

Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi told the official Iraqi News Agency on Saturday that a special central court, formed in coordination between executive and judiciary bodies, deals with important corruption cases, involving the prosecution of top officials.

Hadithi added that the court has ordered investigative bodies in the courts of appeal nationwide to summon, issue arrest warrants and seize the assets of anyone found guilty of corruption.

He further highlighted that dozens of subpoenas have been issued, detentions have taken place and even prison sentences have been handed down to senior officials at the levels of ministers, governors, lawmakers, and members of provincial councils.

“Work is underway in this regard, and other relevant decisions will be made within the next few days,” Hadithi pointed out.

On October 11, the Iraqi Supreme Anti-Corruption Council said in a statement that nine high-ranking officials had been referred to the judiciary to be prosecuted on charges of corruption.

The senior officials included former ministers and former provincial governors, according to the statement.

Iraqi PM submits resignation to parliament

Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi has submitted his resignation, following weeks of protests demanding he steps down.

An unnamed parliamentary source told Arabic-language al-Sumaria television network that the premier had handed his letter of resignation to the legislature.

Abdul-Mahdi had announced in a statement on Friday that he will submit his resignation to parliament amid anti-government demonstrations.

“I will submit to parliament an official memorandum resigning from the current prime minister so that parliament can review its choices,” he said.

Earlier on Friday, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani had urged lawmakers to reconsider their support for the government.

“We call upon the House of Representatives from which this current government emerged to reconsider its options in that regard,” Ayatollah Sistani said in a statement read out by his representative Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalaei during a weekly sermon in the holy city of Karbala.

Abdul-Mahdi said he had “listened with great concern” to the sermon, and made his decision in response to the revered cleric’s call and in order to “facilitate and hasten its fulfillment as soon as possible.”

Nearly two months of protests have rocked primarily the capital city of Baghdad and southern areas of Iraq.

The protesters have expressed frustration with the failing economy and have demanded political and anti-corruption reforms.

The rallies have, however, turned into violent confrontations on numerous occasions, with reports alleging that certain foreign-backed elements have been seeking to wreak havoc in the country.

Since October 1, more than 300 people have been killed in the country, according to the Iraqi parliament’s human rights commission.

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Iraq ongoing protests takes new lives

reporter 1222 — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 10:22:15 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Reports of clashes in Baghdad and southern Iraq indicate that at least seven people were killed and dozens wounded in the latest spate of ongoing protests against economic hardships and corruption, police and medical sources said Sunday.

In the southern town of Nasiriyah in Iraq, security forces clashed with demonstrators and used tear gas canisters to disperse protesters who had gathered overnight on three bridges amid ongoing protests, Reuters reported.

Police and health officials said three people were killed, and hospital sources said another person died later from bullet wounds to his head.

More than 50 others were injured in clashes in the city, they added.

Two people were killed and over 70 wounded when security forces tried to disperse protesters near the country’s main Persian Gulf port of Umm Qasr near Basra, police and medical sources said.

The protesters had gathered to demand security forces open roads around the port town. Authorities have blocked the roads to try to prevent protesters from reaching the port’s entrance.

Umm Qasr is Iraq’s largest commodities port, taking in grain, vegetable oils and sugar shipments that feed a country largely dependent on imported food.

In Baghdad, one protester was killed during overnight demonstrations in Al-Rasheed Street in the city center when police fired shots to disperse protesters, police and medical sources said.

Protests flared anew on Sunday on the street when security forces clashed with protestors to prevent them from trying to reach the road leading to Iraq’s Central Bank. At least 15 protesters were wounded, police and medical sources said.

At least 330 people have been killed since the start of mass unrest in Baghdad and southern Iraq in early October, the largest demonstrations since the fall of ex-dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Protesters are demanding action against corruption while many Iraqis languish in poverty without jobs, healthcare or education.

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Iraq Trade Minister: Iraq Protests Delay Food Shipments

reporter 1222 — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 13:05:03 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – The Iraq trade minister said that ongoing protests delayed discharge of several rice and food shipments at the country’s main port of Umm Qasr.

Protests have delayed the discharge of several food shipments, Mohammed Hashim al-Aani, Iraq trade minister said on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Protesters on Saturday blocked all roads leading to Umm Qasr near the oil-rich city of Basra.

More than 200 people have died and thousands of others wounded since the protests erupted.

As part of efforts to meet the anti-corruption demands, the Iraqi Supreme Anti-Corruption Council announced a fact on Friday. He said that it has issued arrest warrants for a minister, a provincial council chief, five lawmakers, two former ministers, and 60 local officials for corruption.

Demonstrations in Iraq, demanding solutions to problems such as corruption, unemployment and lack of public service, continue. While images on social media showing the US and Israel flags tearing and burning apart and burned by protesters.

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