Iraq arrests former parliament's anti-corruption committee head Talal al-Zarawi

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi security forces have detained former lawmaker Talal al-Zarawi in a joint operation carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Service and the Federal Integrity Commission in Baghdad, security sources said. The operation targeted his residence in the Hurriyya area in western Baghdad, where he was taken into custody and referred to the relevant authority to complete investigative procedures. The arrest falls under a campaign known as "Dawn of the Dawn," under which security forces, working in coordination with the Federal Integrity Commission and under judicial supervision, are executing arrest warrants against current and former lawmakers, politicians and officials facing charges linked to public funds. Zarawi chaired Parliament's Integrity Committee during the 2014–2018 legislative term. In August 2019, parliamentary immunity was lifted at the request of the Supreme Judicial Council. Later that year, in November, the Baghdad Karkh Investigative Court issued an arrest warrant against him, along with a travel ban and asset freeze, under Article 308 of the Iraqi Penal Code. No further details on the current case were immediately available.