Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) dismissed 13 complaints filed against parliamentary candidates and imposed fines on others for violating campaign regulations, according to official documents.

The rulings, issued on Monday, cited lack of evidence and absence of electoral violations as the main reasons for dismissal, while reaffirming that all decisions were made “per electoral law and transparency procedures.”

Among the rejected cases was a complaint filed by Abbas Alawi Sharif Makhoul, of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition (al-Imar wal-Tanmiyah), against Kawakib Ali Hussein, a candidate with the Wasit Is Better with Services Alliance (Wasit Ajmal bil-Khadamat) in Wasit province. Another case, filed by Ali al-Anbaki against Hassan Rashid Harith al-Anbaki of the Empowered Iraq Party (Iraq Muqtadir) in Diyala, was also dismissed, along with several others in Baghdad, Basra, and Wasit.

IHEC further rejected a complaint lodged by Shaswar Ata Saleh, a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), against Shaswar Abdulwahid, head of the New Generation Movement (al-Jeel al-Jadeed), ruling that no breach of electoral regulations had occurred.

Separately, the Commission fined Abdul Latif Mohammed Awad, Secretary-General of the Iraq for Reform Party (Hizb al-Iraq lil-Islah), 25 million Iraqi dinars (approximately $19,000) for violating campaign guidelines.

IHEC said the penalties aim to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and ensure equal competition among candidates, noting that all rulings are subject to appeal before the judicial electoral panel.

Read more: Disqualified candidates: Iraq's electoral body under fire