Iraqi government sends Mustafa Kadhimi's anti-corruption committee to trial for human rights abuses 

The Iraqi government sent nine senior officers in the interior ministry to immediate retirement and court proceedings, allegedly for committing human rights abuses against civilians.

In 2020, former prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi formed an anti-corruption committee, dubbed "Committee 29", headed by Lt. Gen. Ahmed Taha Hashim, better known as "Abu Ragheef".

According to an investigation by The Washington Post published on 21 December 2022, the committee "used incommunicado detention, torture and sexual violence to extract confessions from senior Iraqi officials and businessmen."

"Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ratified recommendations by an investigation committee to review complaints by civilians subjected to human rights abuses against the head of the annulled "Committee 29," Lt. Gen. Ahmed Taha Hashim, as well as all committee members, officers, and employees related to the committee," Basim al-Awadi, the spokesperson of the Iraqi government, said in a statement published by Iraq's state media on Wednesday.  

In response to recent allegations of corruption against officials who served in the administration of the previous Kadhimi government:

1: with respect to the judicial process and it’s esteemed institutions, the politicised recent allegations made are a reflection of a further…

— Mustafa Al-Kadhimi مصطفى الكاظمي (@MAKadhimi) March 4, 2023

The spokesperson also noted that the investigation committee was working according to the law and provisions of the Iraqi constitution that bans physical and psychological torture.

As per the recommendations, all suspects in the dossier should be brought to justice, and they should never assume public posts in the future, and Iraq's integrity commission should track charges of money embezzlement by the suspects.

The suspects include eight other officers and an employee in the interior ministry. Some of the suspects who have been charged have already escaped.      

Kadhimi came to power in 2020 following mass anti-corruption demonstrations that left more than 800 protestors killed by the security forces and Iran-backed militias. He has campaigned to tackle corruption in the country, one of the world's most corrupt countries. He was replaced by Sudani in October 2022.  

On 4 March, Kadhimi dismissed charges against his cabinet and "Committee 29", describing them as "politicised allegations".

Sudani, from the Shia community, was chosen to form the new government on 13 October following months of infighting between pro-Iran factions and Iraqi nationalist Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr.

He has the backing of the Coalition for the Administration of the State, an alliance of powerful pro-Iran Shia factions, the Sunnis, and two key Kurdish parties.