Political backing for the Federal Court and calls for legislation upholding the judiciary's standing

INA-  Baghdad


Atwan Al-Atwani, a leader of the State of Law Coalition, issued a warning on Thursday regarding attempts to compromise the judiciary's standing, impartiality, and integrity. Meanwhile, the Turkmen framework bloc demanded the implementation of laws intended to serve as a deterrent to maintain the authority of the judiciary. 
 
 A statement obtained by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) from Atwan al-Atwani, a leader of the State of Law Coalition, read as follows: "The Federal Supreme Court was chosen by the Iraqi constitution as its protector, within the judicial authority, which monitors the constitutionality of the laws and regulations in force and resolves legal disputes between the opposing political parties according to legal frameworks and with high impartiality." 
 
 
He clarified, saying that "the Federal Court had the final say in many difficult situations and circumstances," and that "the Court's decisions and positions contributed significantly to maintaining the security and stability of the country and protecting the political process from dangerous and suspicious projects that were aimed at building a state of institutions."  
 
 
He went on, "We reject the systematic campaign of treason against its decisions and national positions, and attempts to undermine the reputation of its constitutional and professional judges, because the success of any democratic experience in any country depends in one of its most essential principles on the court. The court will remain the cornerstone of the state-building project. We will not allow anyone to prejudice and question its work. 
 
 
"The Federal Court has proven since its formation in 2005 and to this day, that it is an independent court that is not affected by any political pressures," the Turkmen Framework bloc confirmed in a statement obtained by the Iraqi News Agency (INA). "It applies the tasks entrusted to it with complete impartiality, whether with regard to interpreting the provisions of the constitution, or monitoring the constitutionality of laws and regulations in force, as well as settling disputes that arise between the federal government and the governments of the provinces, municipalities and local administrations or with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, and also certify the results of local or parliamentary elections and other tasks that fall within its competence." 
 
The bloc emphasized that it "rejects the accusations made from time to time by some politicians with the aim of misleading Iraqi public opinion for personal or partisan purposes against this institution, which operates with all independence from any political pressures or dictates," and that it is against "all kinds of abuse to which the Federal Supreme Court is subjected through baseless allegations in reality that question the professionalism and independence of the work of the Federal Court and its members of judges."
 
 
In order to prevent future abuse or infringement against official Iraqi institutions, the bloc called on "the legislative and executive authorities to take practical steps in this regard, by enacting deterrent laws that preserve the judiciary's position as the highest independent judicial authority in the country, and as a guarantee of the rule of law in Iraqi society, and to take the necessary legal measures against those who seek to discredit the court and its members with allegations that are not based on concrete evidence in the media, the press, or on social media."