Iraq withdraws security details from MPs convicted of corruption

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Interior Ministry has ordered the withdrawal of all assigned security details from members of parliament convicted of corruption, according to ministry sources. Acting Interior Minister Hussein al-Awadi issued the directive to the ministry's protection directorate, instructing that police officers assigned to lawmakers referred to court on financial corruption charges be removed from duty. The decision falls within anti-corruption campaigns named "Fajr al-Sabt" and "Sawlat al-Fajr," launched by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi. The first phase of the campaign was carried out on June 28, 2026. During the operations, arrest and detention warrants were issued against dozens of MPs, current and former bureaucrats, and business figures on charges of corruption, public harm and unlawful enrichment. The initial phase targeted complex corruption networks in customs, energy and tax administration, leading to the freezing of hundreds of millions of dollars in assets that were returned to the treasury. Interior Ministry sources said the latest measure is part of a broader expansion of anti-corruption enforcement. No further details on the number of affected lawmakers or a timeline for implementation were immediately available.