Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council on Sunday confirmed the retirement of Jassim Mohammed Aboud al-Amiri, Chief of the Federal Supreme Court, the nation’s highest judicial authority.

In a statement, the council announced that a committee formed under the amended Federal Supreme Court Law No. 30 of 2005 approved al-Amiri’s retirement due to health reasons. It nominated Munther Ibrahim Hussein, Deputy President of the Federal Court of Cassation, as his replacement, with the appointment now awaiting a presidential decree.

However, political sources familiar with the matter told Shafaq News that al-Amiri’s departure came after extensive discussions between key figures in the Coordination Framework, one of whom strongly opposed the resignation of the court’s members and its president. One source noted that while the initial plan was to relieve al-Amiri of his duties while retaining him as a court member, "intensive deliberations among political factions ultimately led to his retirement."

The source added that "the controversial rulings issued by the court — particularly the maritime border dispute over Khor Abdullah — along with mounting political pressure, contributed significantly to the resignation of the court’s members and, subsequently, to the retirement of its chief."

Al-Amiri’s departure follows the June 19 resignation of nine Supreme Court judges — six permanent members and three alternates — who stepped down just before the court was scheduled to rule on the Kurdistan Region salary dispute and the maritime border agreement with Kuwait. While early reports suggested Aboud had resigned with them, judicial officials later clarified he had instead retired for medical reasons.

The nominated replacement, Hussein, born in Baghdad in 1963, earned a law degree from the University of Baghdad and graduated from the Judicial Institute in 1998. He has served on the Federal Court of Cassation since 2018, currently holding roles as deputy president, head of its criminal panel, and reserve member of the Supreme Court.