Court asks parliament to lift Badr lawmaker’s immunity over alleged forgery

BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s Karkh Court of Appeal has asked parliament to lift the immunity of Badr bloc lawmaker Zahra Luqman al-Saadi so that she can face proceedings for allegedly forging official documents, the state news agency reported Monday.

The court is seeking approval to act against her under Articles 289 and 298 of the Penal Code, which cover forgery of official documents and the use of forged documents, and the case is being investigated through the anti-corruption courts. Parliament must vote to approve the request. The court has not said what documents are involved or whether the case is connected to the investigation of former Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili.

Several sitting lawmakers have been convicted in the anti-corruption campaign in recent weeks. Mohammed Farman Shaher Salman al-Jubouri was sentenced to seven years for illicit enrichment on Sept. 29, the third of the 15 figures named by state media in June’s Green Zone operation to be convicted. Bahaa al-Nouri was jailed on Sept. 16 and Alia Nassif Jassim and Ashwaq Salim Hassan on Sept. 23, each for seven years, with Nassif’s repayment and fine coming to more than 61 billion dinars. State media said in June that 47 lawmakers and officials had been detained in an operation based on information attributed to Jumaili.