Al-Nabaa Forum for Dialogue held a panel discussion in the Holy City of Karbala titled "Journalistic Work and the Challenges of Confronting Corruption." The event was attended by media and press figures from Karbala governorate, with the participation of representatives from the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), alongside a number of Members of Parliament, academics, jurists, activists, and public affairs enthusiasts.
Forum Head, journalist Ali Al-Talqani opened the symposium, noting at the outset of his speech that the event was convened "to examine the challenges and risks facing journalists, particularly in Karbala governorate." He pointed to the filing of lawsuits against journalists against the backdrop of their coverage of corruption files. He added that the press community "has made grave sacrifices and offered martyrs," and that journalistic work is unbound by time, as journalists continue performing their duties day and night.
Dr. Ghalib Al-Da'ami presented the institutional framework for combating corruption, explaining that the Commission of Integrity is "an oversight body with two dimensions: spreading the culture of integrity, and combating corruption through investigations." It was established by a decision from Civil Administrator Paul Bremer and subsequently ratified by Law No. 30, which was later legislated in the Iraqi Parliament. He noted the multiplicity of departments tasked with spreading this culture, including research, the Iraqi Anti-Corruption Academy, prevention, asset recovery, and relations with organizations, as opposed to the investigations department concerned with corruption crimes, alongside the role of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit in diagnosis without investigation.
Al-Daami also addressed the role of the Offices of the Inspectors General, the parliamentary Integrity Committee, and anti-corruption committees within provincial councils, arguing that the absence of clear legislation has contributed to the expanding influence of certain councils. He further warned of the infiltration of corruption networks possessing media outlets and political clout. He considered that investigative journalism has historically played a decisive role, citing the Watergate scandal that toppled former U.S. President Richard Nixon, as well as similar roles in confronting the mafia in Italy and Latin America; however, he noted that "this role remains limited in Iraq."
Dr. Muslim Abbas argued that corruption is a "thorny issue," and that media outlets in Iraq, which are supposed to expose it, often practice a "blocking role" due to their partisan affiliations. He asserted that investigative journalism, tasked with uncovering corruption in state institutions, legislative and executive authorities, and even international organizations, → has only a limited presence, pointing to experiences like the ARIJ and NIRIJ networks. He highlighted an investigation published by journalist Asaad Al-Zalzali on Deutsche Welle (DW) within "The Fourth Estate" program, regarding the loss of 200 million dollars in "Project No. 1," which involved the demolition and reconstruction of schools. The demolition was executed without completing the construction, forcing students to relocate to mud schools and caravans.
Abbas enumerated a series of challenges, most notably political and partisan censorship, the exploitation of investigations for propaganda purposes, the dominance of political money, and vague or unenforced laws, particularly concerning the right to access information, in addition to a lack of specialized skills and training among some journalists. Tawfiq Al-Habali, Director of Media for Karbala Governorate and Head of the Journalists Syndicate - Karbala Branch, noted that media outlets, regardless of their affiliations, operate within their institutional policies, yet he refused to strip employees of partisan channels of their journalistic title. He argued that the flaw is not confined to the media but extends to the weak response from oversight bodies, the public prosecution, and the judiciary when documented information is published.
For his part, Nafie Al-Mayali, a member of the Karbala Provincial Council, asserted that publishing corruption files alone is insufficient, calling on oversight bodies to follow up on these files and emphasizing the importance of "honoring the honorable individual" as a positive model. Jurist Abbas Kanbar spoke of internal and external threats targeting the "journalistic body," while media professionals questioned the absence of an appropriate media environment encompassing a journalists' protection law, institutional independence, and societal awareness, amid security and tribal challenges.
Fadhil Al-Hakim called for the provision of protection and granting access to information, pointing to the acquittal of former Minister of Trade Abdul Falah Al-Sudani.
Mahmoud Al-Hasnawi considered that the primary challenge lies in the state's stance on corruption files, noting the barring of journalists from attending provincial council sessions, while the second challenge relates to the performance of the Journalists Syndicate. He touched upon the stance of the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate regarding the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman following the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, drawing a comparison with the reality of the syndicate in Iraq.
Kamal Ubaid spoke of "legal corruption" as the most dangerous, calling for the development of editorial policy and professional competence. Meanwhile, jurist Ahmed Jweid stressed the need to raise legal awareness among journalists, whereas Adnan Al-Salhi argued that Iraq remains in a transitional phase, calling for the creation of a supportive environment for journalists and closer cooperation with the judiciary. In the conclusion of the discussion, Dr. Ghalib Al-Daami defined a journalist as "one who works in journalism and makes a living from it," noting that low wages constitute an obstacle to producing comprehensive investigative reports. He affirmed that "dignity is the red line," and that the focus should be on performance rather than the individual.
As for Dr. Muslim Abbas, he enumerated the qualifications of a journalist, ranging from seeking information and possessing legal and social knowledge, to avoiding generalizations, confronting pressures, and securing legal and financial protection. Ultimately, the symposium concluded that confronting corruption through the press in Iraq remains contingent upon the availability of a protective legal and institutional environment, financial and professional independence, and an effective judicial will, in a battle described as long and complex.
