Iraq fines 400 candidates for campaign violations ahead of Nov. 11 election

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission has fined 400 parliamentary candidates for violating campaign rules ahead of the Nov. 11 election, commission spokesperson Jumana Al-Ghalai told 964media on Thursday.

Al-Ghalai said the Board of Commissioners issued the fines after recording 400 violations, including 60 cases in which candidates began campaigning before the official launch on Oct. 3.

“Those who displayed their party or candidate sequence numbers before the campaign began were fined,” she said. “After the campaign started, others were fined for placing advertisements near polling or registration centers, or for using government facilities for campaign purposes.”

Each infraction carried a fine of 2 million Iraqi dinars, or about $1,420, under the commission’s campaign regulations. Of those fined, 291 were men and 49 were women.

The commission recently introduced stricter rules aimed at preventing the misuse of public funds and curbing inflammatory rhetoric during the one-month campaign period, which officially ends at 7 a.m. on Nov. 8. Restrictions include bans on the use of state resources, government buildings, or public funds for campaigning, as well as prohibitions on voter intimidation and language that incites sectarian or tribal division.

Al-Ghalai said the commission is coordinating with the Baghdad Municipality and other local departments to monitor physical campaign activity, and is working with the Communications and Media Commission to track violations on traditional and social media. Specialized committees have been formed to review online content.

A total of 7,768 candidates — including 2,248 women and 5,520 men — have been approved to compete in the upcoming election.