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Iraqi Judiciary… The Scale of Justice Awaiting Real Independence

by Omar Habeeb Abdul Razzaq

As an Iraqi politician who has worked in various state institutions and a social activist who believes in rule of law, I’ve realized that fair and independent judiciary is the cornerstone in building any modern and advanced state. Judiciary isn’t just one of the state institutions, but the basic guarantee for citizens’ rights, the final arbiter in disputes, and the last resort for justice.

My experience as a supporter of Iraqi youth and advocate for institutional reform taught me that citizen trust in judiciary is the foundation of his trust in the entire state. When citizens believe judiciary will protect them and achieve justice for them, they respect and abide by law. When they lose this trust, chaos spreads and people resort to other means to resolve their disputes.

Iraqi youth, who led October 2019 protests demanding justice and accountability, place great hopes on judiciary to achieve justice and hold corrupt and negligent individuals accountable. But these hopes sometimes collide with a judicial reality suffering from major challenges that limit its ability to perform its role as required.

Judicial independence is the first condition for its justice and effectiveness. Judges must be independent from all powers and influences, whether political, economic, or social. This independence must be guaranteed by law and protected by practical practice.

Qualification and continuous training for judges is necessary to ensure quality of judicial rulings. Judges must be informed about the latest developments in law and judicial jurisprudence, understand modern techniques in investigation and proof, and master session management skills and dealing with different parties.

Transparency in judicial work increases citizens’ trust in judiciary. Publishing judicial rulings, justifying decisions, and making information available to the public helps build trust and reduces doubts and accusations.

Speed of litigation is very important for achieving justice. Delayed justice is incomplete justice, and citizens need quick and fair solutions to their disputes. This requires developing judicial procedures, increasing the number of courts and judges, and using technology to speed up work.

Technology can revolutionize judicial work. Digital courts, electronic archiving, and remote litigation are all tools that can improve judicial efficiency, reduce costs, and increase access to justice.

Specialization in judiciary is important to ensure quality of rulings. A judge specialized in commercial cases understands business complexities more than a general judge, and a judge specialized in juvenile cases understands psychology and education more than others.

Judicial oversight of judges’ performance is necessary to ensure integrity and efficiency. But this oversight must be internal and professional, not political or external. The Supreme Judicial Council must be the sole responsible for monitoring judges’ performance and holding them accountable.

Cooperation between judiciary and other powers is important to ensure implementation of judicial rulings. A judicial ruling that isn’t implemented has no value, and judiciary needs executive power cooperation to implement its rulings.

Protection of judges, witnesses, and plaintiffs is necessary to ensure justice proceeds. A judge who fears for his life or future cannot rule with justice, and a witness who fears revenge cannot testify truthfully.

Legal education and judicial awareness are important to increase citizens’ legal culture. Citizens who understand their legal rights and duties can protect themselves and demand their rights through correct legal means.

Iraqi youth must have a greater role in judiciary, whether as judges, lawyers, or judicial employees. Youth have energy, enthusiasm, and technological knowledge that modern judiciary needs.

As a political activist and supporter of judicial reform in Iraq, I believe independent and fair judiciary is the foundation of the modern civil state. This goal needs strong political will, broad popular support, and continuous work from all parties.

Iraqi judiciary has a rich history, qualified judges, and good laws. What it lacks is the appropriate environment for work, necessary support for development, and adequate protection for independence. When these elements are available, Iraqi judiciary can be a model of justice in the region.

Justice isn’t just a slogan we raise or a goal we seek, but a life necessity without which no society can progress or prosper. Fair and independent judiciary is the only way to achieve this justice.

The Iraqi Parliament… Between Making Laws and Serving Citizens

by Omar Habeeb Abdul Razzaq

As an Iraqi politician who has worked in various legislative institutions and a social activist who believes in the importance of legislative democracy, I’ve realized that the Iraqi Parliament isn’t just a building under the green dome in Baghdad, but the beating heart of democracy and the place where laws that serve the people and build the future should be made. But reality shows there’s a large gap between what parliament should be and what it actually is.

My experience as a supporter of Iraqi youth and advocate for political reform taught me that the basic problem in Iraqi legislative work lies in laws often being made based on political agreements and partisan quotas, not based on citizens’ real needs and national development requirements. This reality turns parliament from a legislative institution serving the people into an arena for political conflicts and partisan bargaining.

Iraqi youth, who make up more than 60% of the population and whom I consider myself a voice for in the political field, find themselves absent from legislative work priorities. Laws discussed and passed in parliament rarely reflect youth needs and aspirations. Education, employment, investment, and technology laws need a modern youth perspective that keeps pace with the times’ requirements.

The legislative process in Iraq needs radical reform starting from how legislative priorities are chosen. There must be a clear mechanism to determine the most urgent laws based on scientific studies and real opinion polls, not based on political mood or partisan pressures.

Transparency in legislative work is an urgent necessity. Iraqi citizens have the right to know how their representative votes on different laws and what his justifications for this vote are. Publishing legislative session details and MPs’ opinions should be routine, not exceptional.

Specialization in legislative work is very important. The MP discussing education law must be informed about the latest developments in this field, and the MP discussing investment law must understand modern economy requirements. This requires continuous training for MPs and providing necessary advisory expertise.

Community participation in the legislative process must be more effective. Listening to experts, specialists, and ordinary citizens’ opinions before passing any law ensures the law will be practical, applicable, and beneficial to society.

Parliamentary oversight of government performance is a neglected aspect in Iraqi legislative work. Parliament must monitor implementation of laws it passes, hold government accountable for its performance, and ensure approved policies are implemented correctly.

Technology can revolutionize legislative work. Digital parliament can increase transparency, facilitate citizen participation, and improve legislative work efficiency. Electronic voting, digital document publishing, and live session broadcasting are all tools that can develop parliamentary work.

Cooperation between different political blocs is necessary for successful legislative work. Politics is the art of the possible, and good laws need national consensus, not partisan dominance. As a political activist who believes in democracy, I see dialogue and negotiation as better than confrontation and exclusion.

Continuous evaluation of passed laws is important to ensure their effectiveness. Laws that don’t achieve their goals must be amended or repealed. This requires a mechanism to follow up on law implementation and measure their results on the ground.

Continuous training and development for MPs is necessary to improve their performance. MPs must be informed about the latest developments in their field of specialization, understand modern techniques in lawmaking, and master negotiation and dialogue skills.

Iraqi youth must have greater representation in parliament. Youth have a different vision, knowledge of modern technology, and understanding of future requirements. Increasing youth representation in parliament will make laws more modern and suitable for the times.

As a political activist and supporter of legislative reform in Iraq, I believe parliament can be a positive force for change if it’s reformed and developed. This reform needs political will from MPs themselves, popular support from citizens, and effective participation from civil society.

The Iraqi Parliament must be the people’s real house, the place where citizens’ issues are discussed, their problems solved, and future laws built. This goal isn’t impossible, but it needs serious and continuous work from all parties.

Corruption… The Plague That Eats the Roots of the Future

by Omar Habeeb Abdul Razzaq

As an Iraqi political activist who spent years fighting corruption and supporting youth who demand justice and transparency, I’ve realized that corruption isn’t just a crime committed by a few individuals, but a malignant disease that eats into the state’s body and destroys the hopes of coming generations. Corruption doesn’t just steal public money, but also steals trust, hope, and the future.

My experience as an Iraqi politician in various state institutions taught me that corruption has multiple faces. There’s financial corruption represented in stealing public money, bribery, and embezzlement. There’s administrative corruption represented in favoritism, nepotism, and appointing unqualified people. And there’s political corruption represented in exploiting position to achieve personal or partisan gains.

Iraqi youth, whom I consider myself a defender of their rights and aspirations, are the most affected by corruption. When education money is stolen, youth are deprived of good education. When health money is stolen, they’re deprived of appropriate healthcare. When infrastructure money is stolen, they’re deprived of basic services.

Fighting corruption requires a comprehensive strategy that starts with prevention and ends with accountability. Prevention is better than cure, and building strong and transparent systems is more important than pursuing the corrupt after the crime occurs. This doesn’t mean neglecting accountability, but means focusing on preventing corruption before it happens.

Transparency is the strongest weapon in facing corruption. When information is available to everyone, when decisions are clear and justified, when processes are exposed and monitored, it becomes difficult for the corrupt to practice their corruption. Transparency creates an environment that doesn’t tolerate corruption.

Strict and clear laws are necessary to fight corruption. But laws alone aren’t enough if they’re not applied with justice and firmness. As a political activist who believes in rule of law, I see that applying law to everyone without exception is the foundation of fighting corruption.

Independent and effective oversight is a basic part of the anti-corruption system. Oversight bodies must be independent from executive power and have sufficient authorities for investigation and accountability. These bodies must be qualified, trained, and protected from political interference.

Technology can play an important role in fighting corruption. Digital systems reduce human intervention, increase transparency, and facilitate monitoring. E-government isn’t just a means to improve services, but also a powerful tool to fight corruption.

Education and awareness are important in building a culture of resisting corruption. Citizens must know their rights and duties, understand corruption’s harm to society, and learn how to resist corruption and report it. This education must start from school and continue in university and workplace.

Free and independent media is a basic partner in fighting corruption. Media exposes corruption, exposes the corrupt, and pressures officials for accountability. But media needs legal and political protection to be able to perform its role effectively.

Civil society has an important role in fighting corruption. Civil society organizations monitor government performance, expose corruption, and pressure for reform. These organizations must receive necessary support and protection to perform their role.

Iraqi youth, who led October 2019 protests against corruption and favoritism, must be at the forefront of anti-corruption efforts. Youth have the energy, enthusiasm, and technological knowledge this battle needs. But they need support and backing from all segments of society.

International cooperation is important in fighting corruption, especially in recovering stolen money deposited in foreign banks. Iraq needs to strengthen its cooperation with international organizations and other countries in this field.

Political will is the decisive factor in the success of fighting corruption. Without real political will from the highest levels, anti-corruption efforts will remain limited and ineffective. Political leadership must be a model in integrity and transparency.

As a political activist and corruption fighter in Iraq, I believe that the battle against corruption is an existential battle for Iraq and its future. This battle needs everyone’s participation: government, parliament, judiciary, media, civil society, and ordinary citizens.

Victory in this battle isn’t impossible. Many countries succeeded in eliminating corruption or reducing it significantly. But this success requires strong will, long patience, and continuous work. The road is long and difficult, but the result is worth all the effort.

Iraq’s future and its coming generations depend on our success in this battle. Every dinar we protect from theft is an investment in our children’s future. Every corrupt person we hold accountable is a step toward building the state of justice and law we all dream of.