Iraq prime minister issues travel ban for some lawmakers

Published August 02, 2016

Iraq's prime minister has issued a travel ban for some sitting lawmakers and politicians amid corruption allegations that surfaced during the questioning in parliament of the country's defense minister.

Tuesday's statement from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office says the decree is a temporary measure that bars those listed from leaving the country until an investigation is completed.

Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeid told lawmakers on Monday that parliament speaker, Salim al-Jabouri, and at least five lawmakers and merchants had tried to persuade him to secure specific contracts and to reinstate employees fired due to corruption.

Al-Abadi has faced growing anti-government protests demanding reform and calling for a fight against endemic corruption. Earlier this year, protesters stormed Baghdad's highly fortified Green Zone twice in the space of a single month.

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