Iraq’s electoral commission forms media monitoring teams ahead of November vote

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission has formed media monitoring committees to track campaign violations ahead of the country’s Nov. 11 parliamentary elections, the commission announced Monday.

Commission spokesperson Jumana Al-Ghalai told the Iraqi News Agency that the head of the electoral administration, Amer Al-Husseini, ordered the formation of the committees to document violations in both traditional and online media.

“The committees are divided between a central media monitoring team at the national office and subcommittees in each provincial office,” Al-Ghalai said.

She added that the committees will work in coordination with field monitoring teams to identify violations, including premature campaign activity such as the publication of candidacy announcements or candidate numbers, both of which are prohibited before the official campaign period.

The move follows a broader warning issued Sunday by the electoral commission that individuals or political entities found buying or selling biometric voter cards, or using government resources for electoral promotion, could face prosecution and disqualification from the race.

Iraq is preparing for its first national election since the 2021 parliamentary vote.