The Role of the Integrity Commission in Combating Corruption

Abstract

After the administrative apparatus, the Integrity Commission is one of the most important institutions in building and developing the state. Its employees are entrusted with managing service tasks within the state, which undermine the fundamental values ​​and principles underlying the state's development and prosperity. Corruption is considered one of the most dangerous criminal phenomena, as it undermines the most important foundations of building and developing the state and impacts the most important aspects of economic, social, and cultural life in society. The exploitation of some employees or those charged with public office, especially in Iraq, is widespread at present, and the disruption of projects within the state undermines the system of government and the loss of public confidence in it. Corruption crimes have recently spread throughout the world, especially in Iraq, necessitating immediate legislative intervention to address this dangerous phenomenon and its harmful consequences, which cannot be avoided in the near future.  Indeed, the Iraqi legislator responded to these deadly crimes by issuing the Integrity Commission Law No. 30 of 2011, which stipulated that the Commission's objective is to prevent and combat corruption crimes by all means and methods to ensure their future prevention. The law also granted it the authority to investigate these crimes under the supervision of a competent investigating judge. The law also specified the entities entitled to recover funds resulting from corruption crimes. Thus, all countries around the world moved to unify their efforts to combat and eliminate these crimes. We will address this topic in two sections. The first is devoted to the concept of the Integrity Commission and its role in combating corruption crimes, by clarifying its definition, legal basis, and nature, to determine the extent of its jurisdiction and effectiveness in combating corruption crimes. The second section addresses the Integrity Commission's criminal procedures in combating corruption crimes, by clarifying the extent of its jurisdiction to conduct investigations and how to initiate criminal proceedings, to determine the adequacy of the legally prescribed procedures in combating corruption crimes.