Iraq's integrity commission hands over list of corruption suspects in Egypt

Shafaq News/ Egyptian media reported on Tuesday that the head of the Iraqi Integrity Commission, Judge Haider Hanoun, has presented a list of names to the Egyptian Minister of Justice, Omar Marwan. These individuals are wanted by the Iraqi judiciary on charges related to financial and administrative corruption cases, and their presence has been confirmed on Egyptian territory.

During their meeting, Judge Hanoun and Minister Marwan discussed various issues of mutual interest, including the enforcement of judicial rulings related to recovering assets linked to the accused. Minister Marwan emphasized the significance of this matter and assured that he is closely monitoring its progress.

The meeting took place at the Egyptian Ministry of Justice's headquarters on Monday, bringing together the heads of the two nations' anti-corruption bodies.

In 2019, Iraq witnessed extensive protests in its central and southern regions, driven by public dissatisfaction with widespread unemployment, the prevalence of financial and administrative corruption in government institutions, and the deteriorating service and living conditions. These protests ultimately led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi under intense public pressure, and the government initiated steps towards early elections to address the political crisis that had gripped the nation.

Recent international reports have urged Iraq to tackle corruption at its core, as it has grown unchecked over the past two decades, permeating various aspects of Iraqi society to an extent that has become difficult to control. Addressing corruption is seen as crucial for the country's stability and prosperity.

Iraq is ranked 157 out of 180 countries on Transparency International's 2021 Corruption Perception Index (CPI).