Iraqi lawmaker says security forces acting as investigators violates the law

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi lawmaker Zeynep al-Tamimi has criticized the working methods of security units in Iraqi cities, saying their practice of acting as investigators rather than carrying out the executive duties assigned to them is illegal and blurs the line between right and wrong. In a written statement, al-Tamimi said that in many cases security forces take on investigative functions, following a repeated pattern that begins with a tip and ends with forced statements. She said a person is detained on the basis of a report, then interrogated by the same units, during which the detainee faces pressure, threats and torture, producing statements that do not reflect the truth. The lawmaker warned that combining statements obtained under such conditions with those of other defendants in similar circumstances leads to dangerous outcomes and creates serious security and social problems. She called for investigative authority to be reserved for the judiciary and for judicial investigation offices to operate effectively in all cities. Al-Tamimi's statement also said security units should return to their executive role and that the judiciary is the foundation of security in society. No further details were immediately available on which specific incidents or units she was referring to.