Turkmen MP in Kirkuk fined $42,000 by Iraqi electoral commission

A leading Turkmen candidate claimed late Monday that a fine imposed on him by Iraq's electoral commission, the largest in its history, was politically motivated and a result of his harsh critique of election irregularities.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A leading Turkmen candidate claimed late Monday that a fine imposed on him by Iraq's electoral commission, the largest in its history, was politically motivated and a result of his harsh critique of election irregularities.

Earlier that day, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) levied the hefty 50 million IQD (about $42,000) fine on Monday to the Turkmen MP Hassan Turan, accusing him of defamation and violating electoral rules of conduct.

Turan, also the Deputy Head of the Iraqi Turkman Front party and former Kirkuk Provincial Council Head, released a statement on social media in which he charged the sanction was made because of his outspoken critique of the flawed electoral process in his home province of Kirkuk.

"At a time when the sons of the Turkmen continue to conduct civil sit-ins to claim their right to a manual recount of ballot boxes in Kirkuk... the decision is an honor and one of pride because it comes after revealing facts," said Turan. "It will not discourage us from demanding the rights of our people."

Amid ongoing protest about the vote in Kirkuk, Turkmen and Arab politicians have called for a new vote on Monday, issuing an ultimatum of 48 hours for IHEC to respond to their complaints.

Also, on Monday, IHEC announced it would void votes from over one hundred polling stations after complaints toward those stations were deemed as valid.

The commission detailed that it had looked into 1,436 complaints from 53,000 ballot-casting stations that had been submitted on election-day, adding that there were 33 instances of what it described as “red complaints.” After auditing, they had decided to annul votes from 103 stations located in the provinces of Baghdad, Anbar, Nineveh, Salahuddin, and Erbil, but not Kirkuk.

"We have conducted meetings at several levels with leaders in Baghdad, the international community, and the United Nations, and there is agreement for the need of a manual recount in Kirkuk," said Turan.

"The first step has begun through the judiciary, there is a parliamentary movement, and also other continuing meetings," he added. "We will continue with the Turkmen people to claim our rights."