BAGHDAD,— Mohammed al-Halbousi, the former speaker of Iraq’s parliament, has been cleared of forgery charges by the country’s judiciary, his office said Sunday.
Halbousi, who once held Iraq’s top Sunni post, was removed from office in 2023 after accusations surfaced that he had falsified a document to push a lawmaker out of parliament.
According to a statement from Halbousi’s media team, “the Iraqi judiciary acquitted” him and “closed the investigation” into the allegations.
Halbousi, leader of the Taqadom party, rose quickly through Iraq’s political ranks after first securing the speakership in 2018 with the backing of pro-Iran factions. He was re-elected in 2022 following early parliamentary elections.
In November 2023, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court ruled against Halbousi after a member of parliament claimed that Halbousi had altered the date on a resignation letter to force him out.
Parliament, composed of 329 members, is largely controlled by Shiite parties aligned with Iran. Iraq’s political system, structured after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, divides top government positions along sectarian lines: the prime minister is Shiite, the speaker a Sunni, and the presidency a Kurd.
The prime minister’s office is currently held by Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
Halbousi remains an influential figure, known for maintaining ties with Western and Arab officials throughout his career.
In October 2024, Iraq’s parliament elected Mahmoud al-Mashhadani as its new speaker.
(With files from AFP)
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