SCOOP: Iraq bars lawyers from Dawn Crackdown corruption detainees

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi investigators are questioning detainees held in the Dawn Crackdown (Sawlat al-Fajr) anti-corruption campaign under strict measures barring visits and outside contact, a senior government source told Shafaq News on Sunday, citing the need to protect the secrecy of the investigation.

All those detained, including current and former lawmakers and officials facing corruption-related charges, undergo daily questioning conducted in secrecy, the source said. Specialized teams comprising investigators from the Anti-Corruption Court and the Federal Integrity Commission oversee the process.

A complete ban has been imposed on visits to the detainees by political parties, public figures, or any other party, the source said, adding that access is limited to the specialized teams. None of the detainees has so far been able to appoint or meet with lawyers, and none has been permitted any outside communication.

The measures are intended to prevent leaks of information tied to the cases under investigation, according to the source. Authorities fear that leaking details, particularly testimony or confessions that may name additional figures, could obstruct justice by allowing suspects to leave the country, conceal evidence, or influence proceedings.

Described as among the most sensitive corruption files the authorities have handled, the case will remain under secrecy measures until core stages of the investigation and evidence-gathering are complete, before the matter moves to subsequent judicial procedures and any disclosure is permitted by the relevant bodies.

Government sources earlier told Shafaq News that legal procedures for a second phase of the campaign had been completed, covering files in the health, oil, and electricity ministries and tracing funds, properties, and investment projects belonging to officials in the United States, Europe, and Turkiye. A new list of accused individuals is being prepared, alongside a review of an "illicit enrichment" bill.

The arrest campaign began at dawn on Sunday, June 28, targeting political officials, lawmakers, and businessmen. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi described it during a Council of Ministers session as the "first phase" of broader measures to recover public funds, tasking oversight bodies with receiving any indications of corruption or negligence in state institutions.

The Federal Integrity Commission said arrest warrants are being issued in accordance with the law and under judicial supervision. New files that may reach additional figures continue to be opened, according to judicial sources, as part of efforts to recover public funds and pursue those involved inside and outside Iraq.

Read more: Iraq detains top officials in anti-corruption sweep: What we know so far