Corruption Suspects Still Serving in Iraqi Parliament Despite Arrest Campaign
Despite an expanding nationwide anti-corruption drive, several Iraqi lawmakers named in corruption files have not been arrested and continue attending parliament
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Several members of the Iraqi parliament whose names appear on an official list of corruption suspects have not been arrested and continue carrying out their parliamentary duties, according to information obtained by Kurdistan24 on Sunday, despite an ongoing nationwide anti-corruption campaign.
According to the information received by Kurdistan24, the list submitted to the Iraqi parliament contains the names of 19 lawmakers accused in corruption-related cases. Four served in previous parliamentary terms, while 15 are members of the current legislature.
The report states that parliamentary immunity has been lifted by the Speaker of Parliament for those named on the list. While some suspects have been arrested and others have fled, several lawmakers whose names reportedly appear on the list continue to attend parliamentary sessions daily without being detained or approached by authorities.
Separately on Sunday, Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council announced that the Rusafa Investigative Court, which specializes in corruption and money laundering cases, had recovered 20 billion Iraqi dinars and returned the funds to the state treasury.
According to the court, the recovered money was linked to investigations into financial and administrative corruption as well as fraud schemes. The court said legal proceedings against those involved would continue, stressing that efforts to recover public funds and prosecute those responsible remain ongoing.
The latest developments come as Iraq continues a broad anti-corruption campaign launched on June 28, 2026.
The nationwide operation has resulted in the arrest of dozens of officials, lawmakers, and political party leaders accused in corruption-related cases.
Among those detained was Adnan Jumaili, the Deputy Oil Minister for Refinery Affairs. According to information related to the ongoing investigations, authorities have so far seized tens of billions of Iraqi dinars, millions of US dollars, and tens of kilograms of gold linked to the corruption files.
The latest revelations that several lawmakers named in the corruption files remain active in parliament underscore that investigations and legal proceedings are continuing as Iraq presses ahead with its anti-corruption campaign.