Shafaq News-Baghdad
Iraqiinvestigators are questioning detainees held in the Dawn Crackdown (Sawlatal-Fajr) anti-corruption campaign under strict measures barring visits andoutside contact, a senior government source told Shafaq News on Sunday, citingthe need to protect the secrecy of the investigation.
All thosedetained, including current and former lawmakers and officials facingcorruption-related charges, undergo daily questioning conducted in secrecy, thesource said. Specialized teams comprising investigators from theAnti-Corruption Court and the Federal Integrity Commission oversee the process.
A complete banhas been imposed on visits to the detainees by political parties, publicfigures, or any other party, the source said, adding that access is limited tothe specialized teams. None of the detainees has so far been able to appoint ormeet with lawyers, and none has been permitted any outside communication.
The measuresare intended to prevent leaks of information tied to the cases underinvestigation, according to the source. Authorities fear that leaking details,particularly testimony or confessions that may name additional figures, couldobstruct justice by allowing suspects to leave the country, conceal evidence,or influence proceedings.
Described asamong the most sensitive corruption files the authorities have handled, thecase will remain under secrecy measures until core stages of the investigationand evidence-gathering are complete, before the matter moves to subsequentjudicial procedures and any disclosure is permitted by the relevant bodies.
Governmentsources earlier told Shafaq News that legal procedures for a second phase ofthe campaign had been completed, covering files in the health, oil, andelectricity ministries and tracing funds, properties, and investment projectsbelonging to officials in the United States, Europe, and Turkiye. A new list ofaccused individuals is being prepared, alongside a review of an "illicitenrichment" bill.
The arrestcampaign began at dawn on Sunday, June 28, targeting political officials,lawmakers, and businessmen. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi described it during aCouncil of Ministers session as the "first phase" of broader measuresto recover public funds, tasking oversight bodies with receiving anyindications of corruption or negligence in state institutions.
The FederalIntegrity Commission said arrest warrants are being issued in accordance withthe law and under judicial supervision. New files that may reach additionalfigures continue to be opened, according to judicial sources, as part ofefforts to recover public funds and pursue those involved inside and outsideIraq.
: Iraq detains top officials in anti-corruption sweep: What we know so far