Iraqi court sentences Azm Alliance leader to 6 years in prison

The headquarters of the Supreme Judicial Council in Baghdad, Iraq. Photo: AFP via Getty Images Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq’s Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court sentenced on Thursday Azm Alliance leader Muthanna al-Samarrai to six years in prison over corruption. The verdict is part of a sweeping, high-profile anti-corruption campaign known as the “Operation Dawn,” which was initiated by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. Al-Samarrai was found guilty of profiting from contracts and public works projects, particularly by using his power to mediate illegal deals with significant state-owned refining companies under Iraq’s Ministry of Oil. Al-Samarrai was sentenced by the court to refund 30 billion Iraqi dinars, or around $20 million, that he had obtained from his dishonest activities. In late June, Al-Samarrai, a well-known politician and businessman whose Azm Alliance has 15 seats in the Iraqi parliament, was arrested. Additionally, several politicians, oil ministry officials, and political elites were arrested in a police raid on Baghdad’s strongly protected Green Zone. After former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili made comprehensive confessions that revealed a widespread network of illicit refinery contracts, the investigations gained momentum. The case carries considerable political implications, as al-Samarrai leads the second-largest Sunni faction in parliament and is a candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections. According to the Iraqi law, al-Samarrai now has 30 days to appeal his verdict before the Court of Cassation.