Martyrs Foundation denies Baathist links to Iraqi PM’s father
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Monday, Iraq’s Martyrs Foundation denounced what it called baseless claims linking the father of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to the former Baath Party.
In a statement, the Foundation’s legal department described the accusations as an attempt to mislead public opinion and exploit the sacrifices of Iraq’s martyrs for political gain, warning that such campaigns echo the disinformation practices once employed by Saddam Hussein’s regime.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, integrity, and the rule of law, vowing to consider legal action against those spreading falsehoods that damage the institution’s credibility.
The controversy has unfolded on social media and among political rivals, with claims portraying al-Sudani or his relatives as having Baathist ties; however, historical records show that his father, Shia Sabbar Hatem al-Sudani, was executed with five family members in 1980 by the former regime for membership in the banned Islamic Dawa Party, which opposed Saddam Hussein’s rule.
The dispute comes as Iraq’s Electoral Commission intensifies its candidate screenings, which have already disqualified 786 individuals for various reasons — including suspected Baathist ties — with the total expected to exceed 1,000 before the November 11 vote. PM Al-Sudani is contesting a seat in Baghdad under his al-Furatain Movement and heads the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, a newly formed bloc bringing together several political forces.
Read more: Iraq’s Elections under the Shadow of De-Baathification
