People sell electoral voter cards despite Iraqi government warnings
The Integrity Commission expressed its readiness to cooperate with the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to prevent such crimes from occurring.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Integrity Commission has called on the people, media, and civil society NGOs to cooperate in preventing any side or person from illegally purchasing electoral voter cards.
In a statement on Sunday, the Iraqi Integrity Commission warned against attempts by political parties and influential candidates who are illegally acquiring electoral voters’ IDs.
“The Integrity Commission will take action against the violators and anyone who tries to give the elections process a bad image,” the statement said, calling on the people, media, and civil activists to cooperate and report any cases of buying and selling of voter cards.
The Commission expressed its readiness to cooperate with the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to prevent such cases from occurring.
On Monday, a Kurdistan 24 correspondent visited an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp for Sunni Arabs in Nineveh Province where, according to the residents, displaced persons are pressured by some political parties to sell their electoral IDs in exchange for money.
One of the IDPs told Kurdistan 24 some people are ready to pay 100 USD for each voter card, and some sell theirs for 50,000 IQD (around 42 USD).
The IDP explained that people live in desperate conditions and need money, adding that “people did not benefit from the elections in the past and that is why they choose to sell [their voter cards].”
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi also reacted to the reports and reminded that manipulating the people’s vote, including buying or selling the voter cards, was a crime.
Abadi said the government would follow-up on the matter based on the IHERC’s request, warning that “the perpetrators would face 15 years in prison.”
In a statement on Monday, the IHEC rejected reports of the electoral voter card manipulation, but vowed to use all of its “constitutional and legal rights to protect the people and voters.”
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany