Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi emphasized that his government's anti-corruption campaign is driven by "purely national motives" and does not seek any political gain or objective.
The statement came amid a period when a number of individuals were detained on suspicion of involvement in corruption cases. The government announced that all procedures are carried out within the framework of law and the constitution, and that investigations are being expanded to reach new names.
"Detentions not targeting a political group"
Speaking to Al Jazeera's "Ma Wara' al-Khabar" program, head of the Center for Political Thought and political scientist Ihsan al-Shammari said that al-Zaydi's statement was a response to accusations that the campaign is being politicized. Al-Shammari said, "The prevalence of corruption and financial collapse in the country necessitate decisive national steps."
Emphasizing that the detentions do not target a specific political group, al-Shammari said they "include names from different provinces and affiliations." He stated that the government, together with the Anti-Corruption Committee and the judiciary, acts on the basis of evidence and confessions, without regard to political connections. Al-Shammari noted that among those detained are the leader of the Azm Alliance as well as members of the Construction and Development Coalition within the Coordination Framework, reflecting the balance in the investigations.
Timing and scope criticisms
Political analyst Abdurrahman al-Jubouri, however, argued that the timing of the campaign raises questions. Al-Jubouri raised the question of whether the operation "responds to a national need or is a preparation for the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to the US."
Al-Jubouri, who argued that the campaign does not include all political actors, said that corruption in Iraq is "a systemic problem, not just a matter of individuals." He also pointed to a possible connection between the campaign and changes in domestic and regional power balances. While emphasizing the importance of the anti-corruption fight, al-Jubouri called for more transparent procedures, public disclosure of charges against each defendant, and full adherence to fair trial and human rights standards. Otherwise, he warned, trust in the campaign could be undermined.
"Reform vision: corruption and arms file as a whole"
Mustafa al-Sarray, research director at the al-Bayan Center for Research and Planning, said that the anti-corruption fight is one of the main commitments of the government program and that the campaign would have been launched anyway due to Iraq's need for internal reforms and external pressures. Noting that the files of some detainees are not directly linked to the confessions of the main suspect but are related to other corruption cases, al-Sarray said this shows how much the scope of the investigation has expanded.
Al-Sarray said it is still early to evaluate the campaign, that this is only the first phase, and that a certain degree of confidentiality is necessary to prevent fugitives from escaping and to complete investigations. He also linked the anti-corruption campaign to the government's attempt to centralize arms under state control. According to al-Sarray, both files are part of the same reform vision and are receiving attention within the framework of understandings with the US, especially in the context of economic reform and reducing the influence of armed groups. Stating that the government is trying to take concrete steps before al-Zaydi's visit to Washington, al-Sarray emphasized that the success of economic and security reforms depends on the state's capacity to dismantle corruption networks within its own institutions.
The participants in the discussion stated that the success of the campaign depends on its being conducted in accordance with standards of justice and judicial independence, free from selectivity and political considerations, and on its ability to reach all corruption suspects regardless of their position or influence.
