Iraq court orders detained MP Aliya Nasif to pay damages to Interior Ministry legal adviser

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Karkh Court of Appeal in Baghdad ruled that detained lawmaker Aliya Nasif must pay compensation to Hussein Yusuf al-Tamimi, a legal adviser at the Interior Ministry. The court found that Nasif had caused harm to the official through insult and defamation during the course of his duties. Under the ruling, Nasif will provide financial compensation for the damages al-Tamimi sustained. The court stated that public officials cannot be targeted or subjected to insults while carrying out their responsibilities, and affirmed the principle of civil liability in protecting the dignity of the state and the standing of public service. Al-Tamimi said the decision safeguards employees' ability to perform their duties within a legal framework. He noted that legal advisers retain the right to pursue action over attacks against them, provided there has been no breach of duty on their part. According to the ruling, the compensation award is intended both to address the harm caused and to enforce legal accountability.