Najafi calls for independent judiciary

Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives Osama Al-Najafi called for the abolition of armed groups on Monday. In the speech he delivered at the Iraqi parliament on the occasion of the Prophet’s birthday, Najafi said: “The security issue will not be resolved without the full readiness of our armed forces to face possible internal and external challenges.” Najafi called for the abolition of armed groups that was “formed by forces outside the constitution,” stressing the need to “alleviate the militarisation of the street and contribute to maintaining security,” as cities have recently been struck by armed activity causing many Iraqi deaths. In addition, he highlighted the importance of maintaining the integrity of the judiciary and its independence, particularly with regard to the upcoming National Conference. He added that judiciary should stay unaffected and uninfluenced by pressure of "known sources”, in order to maintain Iraq’s unity and achieve anticipated reforms. Najafi called on state media to stay unbiased and objective, and urged it not to incite sectarianism and fanaticism. He stressed that the media should represent the “pulse” of the Iraqi public.