Man arrested for trafficking over 1,100 voter ID cards ahead of elections

NINEVEH — Iraqi security forces arrested a man Tuesday on charges of trafficking more than 1,100 voter identification cards in Nineveh governorate, according to a statement from the judiciary’s media office.

The Nineveh Court of Appeals said the arrest was carried out under a warrant issued by the judge of the Nineveh Investigation Court, which specializes in National Security Service cases.

The suspect was found in possession of 1,147 voter ID cards and 20 million Iraqi dinars in cash.

“After recording his statement, he confessed to working with a group of suspects to purchase voter cards from various areas in Nineveh governorate,” the court said. “They intended to resell them to certain candidates as the elections approached, at higher prices, treating the scheme as a business.”

Legal action has been taken under Article 40 of the amended Law No. 12 of 2018, which regulates elections for the Council of Representatives, governorate councils, and district councils.

Candidates may buy voter identification cards as part of election fraud schemes to cast ballots using other people’s identities, suppress turnout by preventing voters from participating, or use the cards as proof in vote-buying deals. In some cases, they can also be used with complicit officials to inflate vote counts using legitimate voter data.

The Independent High Electoral Commission has repeatedly warned against such practices and affirmed its commitment to combating electoral manipulation through legal measures and enhanced monitoring.

Iraq is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on November 11. The commission has announced its readiness to manage the process and ensure a fair and organized vote.