Iraqi initiative warns anti-corruption drive should not become tool for political settling of scores

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Iraqi Initiative issued a written statement cautioning that the country's ongoing anti-corruption campaign should not be turned into a vehicle for political score-settling. The group said recent investigations confirmed the public's lack of trust in government, arguing that corruption has evolved from individual misconduct into an integrated system sustained by networks of political influence that control the state. The statement criticized delays and selective enforcement in some cases, highlighting the role of oversight and judicial bodies in protecting public resources. It called for accountability regardless of rank, citing the cases of Nur Zuhur, named in alleged tax evasion, and former Deputy Oil Minister Adnan Jamili. The initiative said fighting corruption must be a daily practice that extends beyond prosecutions to include institutional reform and the removal of bureaucratic obstacles. It urged the Supreme Judicial Council to regularly publish the results of its investigations and to end the practice of dismissing cases in exchange for the return of stolen funds.