Iraq arrests senior Trade Ministry official Hashem Al-Sudani

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi prosecutors detained Hashem Al-Sudani, the director general of the state-owned General Automobile and Machinery Company (GAMCO), on Sunday for suspected embezzlement in a contract with the Ministry of Defense.

The contract’s specifics, including its value and the particular alleged infractions under investigation, have not been released. Al-Sudani’s arrest is part of Iraq’s growing anti-corruption effort, which targets prominent government officials, legislators, and business leaders.

The new arrest comes as Baghdad ramps up the “Dawn Crackdown,” an anti-corruption operation that began on June 28 by Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi to probe big crimes involving public contracts and state finances.

The initiative has gained traction among senior and politically connected individuals.

Recently, police arrested former Salah al-Din governor Ahmed al-Jubouri, also known as Abu Mazen, while former Finance Minister Taif Sami was allegedly called by the court as part of a separate inquiry.

Al-Zaidi’s administration has prioritized combating corruption and reclaiming public monies, with authorities attempting to show that probes would extend to officials regardless of party or institutional affiliation.

Corruption has long been a major impediment to Iraq’s growth, depleting state resources, degrading public services, and deterring private and international investment.

The ongoing arrests imply Baghdad’s new effort is spreading to official institutions, but anyone arrested or interrogated has not been convicted and is still subject to due process.