Iraqi court halts second dismissal of Diyala council chair

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Administrative Court on Tuesday issued a stay of execution on a second attempt to remove Diyala Governorate Council Chair Omar Al-Karwi, suspending the decision until a final ruling is reached.

The court, led by Chief Judge Othman Salman Al-Aboudi, convened March 25 and ruled that Diyala’s order to dismiss Al-Karwi — issued March 23 under Order No. 67 — be frozen due to the risk of irreversible harm.

“The conditions for issuing an injunction are met, and damages from enforcing the dismissal cannot be undone,” the ruling stated.

The latest vote to remove Al-Karwi took place Sunday during a council session attended by 13 members, 11 of whom approved the motion after rejecting his responses in an earlier interrogation session. During the session, council member Turki Jad’an Al-Atbi accused Al-Karwi of falsifying a previous council resolution.

Al-Karwi challenged the legitimacy of the proceedings, noting that his prior dismissal, dated Oct. 29, 2024, is still under review by the Court of Cassation. That dismissal was also blocked by the Administrative Court, which on Nov. 3 issued an injunction halting the decision after Al-Karwi argued the move was politically motivated and the session unlawful. He resumed his duties within hours of that ruling.

Al-Karwi was appointed chair on Aug. 1, 2024, as a representative of the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance after months of political wrangling. The Diyala council has since faced ongoing tensions, split evenly between Sunni and Shia members.

Following his first removal, council vice president Salem Al-Tamimi accused Al-Karwi of monopolizing decision-making and ignoring constituent concerns. On Oct. 31, the council voted to appoint Nizar Al-Lahibi as his replacement — the same individual selected again in Sunday’s session. Al-Lahibi was sworn in Nov. 3, 2024.

This week, Iraq’s Parliament Regions Committee weighed in, calling the most recent session “illegal.” In a statement, the committee said Al-Karwi remains in office pending a final court decision, citing Article 7/8 of Law No. 21 of 2008, which they argue offers no legal basis for his removal.