Judge Munther Ibrahim Hussein was sworn in as President of the Federal Supreme Court before Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid at Baghdad Palace on Thursday.

In a statement, the Iraqi Presidency said President Rashid congratulated Munther Ibrahim Hussein and “wished him success in his new duties and expressed his full support for the success of the Federal Supreme Court in its constitutional duties.”

Rashid also highlighted the pivotal role of the court in protecting the democratic process and ensuring the separation of powers.

He “stressed that respect for the constitution and recourse to its provisions are an important foundation for building a stable and just state based on the rule of law and the guarantee of rights and freedoms.”

For his part, Judge Munther Ibrahim Hussein expressed his gratitude to President Rashid and reaffirmed his commitment to the court’s independence as the guardian of the constitution. He also emphasized “the compliance with the provisions of the constitution and law and ensure the independence of the court and protect it from any interference.”

The swearing-in of the new President follows the earlier announcement by Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council of the retirement of Chief Justice Jassim Muhammad Abboud from the Federal Supreme Court, citing health reasons.

Judge Munther Ibrahim Hussein was born in Baghdad in 1963. He earned his law degree from the University of Baghdad in 1989 and graduated from the Judicial Institute in 1998. Since 2018, he has served at the Federal Court of Cassation as Vice-President and Head of the Criminal Panel, while also acting as a reserve member of the Federal Supreme Court.