Iraqi court hands down prison terms to 2 politicians and an oil official in graft case

Iraq's Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court sentenced two prominent Sunni politicians to prison and hefty fines on Thursday, as part of the government's anti-corruption campaign. Muthana Al Samarrai, head of the Azm Alliance, was given a six-year sentence and ordered to pay 30 billion Iraqi dinars, approximately $22 million. Ziad Al Janabi, a lawmaker, received a five-year prison term and was to pay 4 billion dinars, or about $3 million.

Both men were arrested in June as part of Operation Dawn Crackdown, a government initiative targeting current and former lawmakers and senior officials. The government claims the operation seized substantial sums of money, US dollars, and valuables from suspects' properties. The convictions are part of a series of trials involving four individuals arrested in the sweep.

The rulings can be appealed within 30 days before the Court of Cassation. The government frames the crackdown as a commitment to combating corruption, which has sparked public protests, while critics argue it has disproportionately targeted Sunni politicians, a claim the government denies.