Iraqi court sets trial date for main defendant in "Juhi Network" wiretapping case

Shafaq News/ An Iraqi court in Baghdad has set a date for the trial of the main defendant in the so-called "Juhi Network" wiretapping case.

On Sunday, MP Mustafa Jabbar Sanad posted on Facebook that Mohammed Juhi will be tried “in one of the complaints filed by us,” adding, "Other cases, including the wiretapping case, are still under investigation and have not yet been referred to the competent courts."

In this regard, the Karkh Criminal Court officially requested the Iraqi Intelligence Service to notify the concerned parties to appear before the judiciary on December 9th at 9:00 AM.

The Juhy Network: A Deep Dive

Last September, Iraq was rocked by a wiretapping scandal implicating high-ranking officials within the Prime Minister’s Office. The controversy, which centers on allegations of illegal surveillance, misconduct, and political espionage, has stirred turmoil in the country’s political landscape.

The scandal revolves around a network reportedly led by Mohammed Juhy, a former Deputy Director General of the Administrative Department at the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to sources, this network is accused of a range of illegal activities, including eavesdropping on lawmakers and politicians, orchestrating electronic campaigns, fabricating news, and impersonating key political and business figures. Juhy, who is also the nephew of Raed Juhy, the former head of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s office, has been at the center of these allegations.

The Karkh Court, which handles terrorism-related cases, has made several arrests connected to this network. The suspects have reportedly confessed to their activities, and their statements are now part of the ongoing legal proceedings. However, the specifics of these confessions and the evidence supporting them have yet to be fully disclosed.

In response to the scandal, the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council has dismissed the information circulating about the "Mohammed Juhy Network" as inaccurate. The Council has criticized the current reports as “speculative,” arguing that they lack verified evidence.

Government spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi has supported this stance, emphasizing the government’s commitment to upholding the law and countering misleading campaigns aimed at disrupting its operations.

This response has done little to quell the controversy, with ongoing debates about the veracity of the allegations and the motives behind the reports. There have been conflicting statements about whether Judge Faiq Zidan was a target of the network, with some reports suggesting that high-ranking officials within the Prime Minister’s Office might be involved.

The scandal has sparked a variety of reactions across Iraq's political spectrum. Observers close to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani view the scandal as a potential attempt to settle political scores, which could influence the upcoming elections.

Within the Shiite Coordination Framework, there is a divide in responses. Some factions advocate for a thorough investigation, while others express support for al-Sudani and caution against internal Shiite disputes.

Prominent CF leaders, including Ammar al-Hakim and Qais al-Khazali, have issued statements backing al-Sudani’s government, signaling a complex political landscape where alliances and rivalries intersect.