Lawmakers demand forming a committee to investigate assault on MP Ghalib Muhammad

Iraq 01:24 PM - 2021-03-06

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A number of members of the Iraqi Parliament demanded the formation of a committee to investigate the assault on MP Ghalib Muhammad, and to return  the investigation to the Federal Capital, Baghdad.

 

During a session of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, a number of MPs read a statement in which they indicated that "the preparators of this crime has been released through political interference." 

 

The MPs demanded the parliament to preserve the dignity of its MPs, warning that "if the parliament is unable to preserve the dignity of its representatives, it will not be able to preserve the dignity of Iraq," emphasizing on not allowing attacks on members of the Council of Representatives.

 

The MPs requested to direct a letter from the Presidency of the Council to the Supreme Judicial Council to transfer the investigation into the assault on MP Ghalib Muhammad to Baghdad, while they demanded the formation of a committee from the Security and Defense and Legal Parliamentary Committees to go to court and to establish the truth about the process of releasing those accused of assaulting MP Ghalib Muhammad.

 

For his part, Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Mohamed al-Halbousi said in response to the request, that "the transfer of the case needs personal claimants, and it is through a request submitted by MP Ghalib Muhammad, and the Presidency of the Council of Representatives will support him in a request to transfer the investigation file to complete it in Baghdad."

 

On Friday, February 26, a member of the Iraqi Parliament, MP Ghalib Muhammad, was attacked by a person who stabbed him with knives in front of his home in the city of Sulaymaniyah, and he was transferred to the hospital directly, where he received the necessary treatment.

 

Three people who work for one of the KRG's intelligence agencies were arrested over the attack, but the three accessed were later released under political and partisan interference and pressure.

 

In a tweet, the PUK Co-Leader, Lahur Sheikh Jangi criticized the KRG's Prime Minister, Masrur Barzani, saying that he has "lost confidence" for accepting that there have been people who have interfered in court affairs to force the release of the accused.

 

The PUK Co-Leader said in a tweet: "The same government that demanded to to interfere in court affairs in the case of arresting the 5 activists of Badinan, is clearly demanding with threats to release 3 officers of an intelligence agency of the Kurdistan Region who have been arrested of the case of attacking MP Ghalib Muhammed."

 

For his part, Dr. Soran Jamal Taher, PUK Politburo member and Head of Relations Bureau, and during a meeting with Shilan Arif, representative of ministry of justice KRG, reiterated his and PUK’s support for the court and the juridical institutions and emphasized that PUK stands against all political parties’ involvement in court affairs. He also said that the law must be implemented equally and above all.

 

Earlier in February, Erbil Second Court of First Instance in the Kurdistan region sentenced five journalists and civil activists to six years in prison each for their role in anti-government demonstrations last year, their lawyer said.

 

 

 

PUKmedia