The key facts

  • Muthanna al-Samarrai received six years and a fine of about $22 million, Ziadi al-Janabi five years and a fine of about $3 million
  • Both are prominent Sunni politicians arrested in June during Operation Dawn Crackdown
  • Earlier in the same case, former director of the Oil Products Distribution Company Hussein Talib received eight years and a fine of 55 billion dinars

Verdicts in a high-profile case

Iraq's Central Criminal Court for Combating Corruption on Thursday handed down verdicts to two prominent politicians, The National reports. Muthanna al-Samarrai, head of the Azm Alliance, received six years in prison and a fine of 30 billion Iraqi dinars (about $22 million). Baghdad MP Ziadi al-Janabi was sentenced to five years and a fine of 4 billion dinars (about $3 million).

Context of Operation Dawn

Both convicted men are Sunni politicians, arrested in June as part of Operation Dawn Crackdown, launched by the government of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. According to the authorities, the operation targeted current and former MPs and senior officials; security forces seized billions of dinars, millions of dollars, as well as gold jewellery and bullion from the suspects. Al-Samarrai led one of the main Sunni factions in parliament and was a candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

A series of trials and what comes next

The verdicts became part of a series of trials of four people detained in the same operation: on Tuesday, former director general of the Oil Products Distribution Company Hussein Talib received eight years and a fine of 55 billion dinars. Under Iraqi law, appeals may be filed within 30 days with the Court of Cassation. The government presents the campaign as proof of its fight against entrenched corruption that fuelled repeated protests; critics, however, argue that it has disproportionately targeted Sunni politicians and rival Shiites, which the authorities deny.