Iraq’s Election Judiciary Commission has rejected an appeal by Rakan Saeed al-Juburi, leader of the Arab Coalition in Kirkuk and former acting governor of the province, against his exclusion from the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The decision, a copy of which was seen by Channel8, cited his previous conviction on corruption charges.

Details of the Ruling

The Election Judiciary Commission said it convened on September 9, 2025, to review al-Juburi’s appeal. He had sought to overturn a decision by the Independent High Electoral Commission’s (IHEC) Council of Commissioners, which on August 24 ruled to bar him from running.

The judiciary body upheld the commission’s decision as “correct and legal,” noting that al-Juburi had been punished under Article 340 of the Iraqi Penal Code — a provision covering financial and administrative corruption under the Integrity Commission Law and the Illegal Gain Act.

Legal Basis

Article 7, paragraph 3 of the Parliamentary Election Law bars candidates convicted of corruption or subjected to related penalties. This was the basis for disqualifying al-Juburi.

Previous Sentence

Al-Juburi, currently a member of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, was sentenced on July 15 to one year in prison by Baghdad’s Karkh Criminal Court. His sentence was later suspended.

The Election Judiciary Commission ultimately voted unanimously to uphold the Independent High Electoral Commission’s decision to exclude him from the candidate list.