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Shafaq News-
Baghdad
Iraqi
investigators are questioning detainees held in the Dawn Crackdown (Sawlat
al-Fajr) anti-corruption campaign under strict measures barring visits and
outside contact, a senior government source told Shafaq News on Sunday, citing
the need to protect the secrecy of the investigation.
All those
detained, including current and former lawmakers and officials facing
corruption-related charges, undergo daily questioning conducted in secrecy, the
source said. Specialized teams comprising investigators from the
Anti-Corruption Court and the Federal Integrity Commission oversee the process.
A complete ban
has been imposed on visits to the detainees by political parties, public
figures, or any other party, the source said, adding that access is limited to
the specialized teams. None of the detainees has so far been able to appoint or
meet with lawyers, and none has been permitted any outside communication.
The measures
are intended to prevent leaks of information tied to the cases under
investigation, according to the source. Authorities fear that leaking details,
particularly testimony or confessions that may name additional figures, could
obstruct justice by allowing suspects to leave the country, conceal evidence,
or influence proceedings.
Described as
among the most sensitive corruption files the authorities have handled, the
case will remain under secrecy measures until core stages of the investigation
and evidence-gathering are complete, before the matter moves to subsequent
judicial procedures and any disclosure is permitted by the relevant bodies.
Government
sources earlier told Shafaq News that legal procedures for a second phase of
the campaign had been completed, covering files in the health, oil, and
electricity ministries and tracing funds, properties, and investment projects
belonging to officials in the United States, Europe, and Turkiye. A new list of
accused individuals is being prepared, alongside a review of an “illicit
enrichment” bill.
The arrest
campaign began at dawn on Sunday, June 28, targeting political officials,
lawmakers, and businessmen. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi described it during a
Council of Ministers session as the “first phase” of broader measures
to recover public funds, tasking oversight bodies with receiving any
indications of corruption or negligence in state institutions.
The Federal
Integrity Commission said arrest warrants are being issued in accordance with
the law and under judicial supervision. New files that may reach additional
figures continue to be opened, according to judicial sources, as part of
efforts to recover public funds and pursue those involved inside and outside
Iraq.
Read more: Iraq detains top officials in anti-corruption sweep: What we know so far