UN report praises the role of the Iraqi government in combating corruption

Baghdad - INA

A UN report praised the role of the Iraqi government and judiciary in combating corruption and holding accountable those accused of high-ranking positions.

The specialist in the trial follow-up program and team leader at the United Nations Development Program in Iraq, Ibtisam Al-Sanhouri, stated in her interview with the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the second report was issued to simulate major corruption cases, which included a comprehensive analysis of data related to cases before the Central Financial Criminal Court for Combating Corruption in Iraq," noting that "the report praised the serious role of the government in combating corruption as well as the Iraqi judiciary in prosecuting those accused of corruption from positions of authority."

She added that "the report showed a significant increase in the number of cases brought before the court, as the number rose from 150 cases in 2023 to 170 cases in 2024, and the report also recorded a decrease in the number of trials in absentia."

She explained that "there is a steady increase in legal aid, as the number of appointed lawyers has increased compared to private lawyers in absentia and in-person cases, and the courts have witnessed a significant decrease in the number of cases returned for investigation or referred for retrial, in addition to a clear decline in the number of appeals submitted, as out of 100 appeals, only 9 appeals were rejected, reflecting an improvement in the quality of judicial rulings."

She indicated that "the report indicated the dominance of criminal cases related to corruption, as most cases focused on three main charges, which necessitated the submission of a number of recommendations directed to several parties, including the government, the Supreme Judicial Council, the Bar Association, the Integrity Commission, and the international and local community."

She pointed out that "the report highlighted a remarkable development in the prosecution of high-level defendants in positions of authority, as parliamentarians, ministers and governors were tried, reflecting a qualitative shift in dealing with major corruption files. This year also witnessed the conclusion of trials in four major cases within the "Theft of the Century" file, where sentences ranging from 3 to 10 years were issued, in addition to the recovery of part of the looted funds, with the continuation of confiscation efforts and the recovery of fugitive defendants abroad." She stated that "these developments reflect a serious will by the judiciary and the state to combat corruption, especially major corruption, by tightening sentences and strengthening accountability mechanisms and recovering funds."