Iraq PM bars MPs accused of graft from travel

By Arif Yusuf

BAGHDAD

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi on Tuesday barred a number of lawmakers accused of corruption and extortion from travel.

On Monday, Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi accused Parliament Speaker Selim al-Jabouri and a number of MPs of extorting him regarding corruption allegations with regard to the purchase of weapons and foods.

In a statement, al-Abadi’s office said that the prime minister has barred those accused of corruption from travel “for investigation into the allegations against them”.

During a parliamentary session on Monday, al-Obeidi accused the parliament speaker and a number of deputies of allegedly requesting him to pay 2 million USD in bribes in return for not questioning him into corruption allegation.

Iraq ranks 161st out of 168 countries on Transparency International’s "corruption perceptions index".

Iraq has been embroiled into a political crisis in recent months since supporters of firebrand Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr staged a wave of protests to demand al-Abadi replace his government with a team of independent “technocrats” mandated with fighting government graft.