Basra – Saturday, July 12, 2025

The Ain Network for Election and Democracy Monitoring organized a dialogue forum for religious leaders and tribal sheikhs in Basra, as part of the activities of the project "Democracy and Transparency: Empowering Civic Participation and Freedom of the Media", funded by the European Union, in cooperation with the Norwegian People’s Aid organization and in partnership with the Tammuz and Shams networks.

The forum was attended by representatives of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), including Mr. Haider Jabbar Khaheet, Technical Assistant at the IHEC Basra Office, and Mr. Udayd Abdul Baqi Ali, Head of the Media Department at the same office.

The forum addressed several key issues related to the electoral process, most notably the dangers of vote buying, with speakers emphasizing the need to combat this phenomenon and highlighting its prohibition from both religious and ethical perspectives. The forum also stressed the importance of raising public awareness about electoral participation, framing it as a national duty that contributes to building a just state that reflects the will of the people.

This forum is part of ongoing efforts within the project to strengthen the role of religious and community leaders in promoting electoral awareness, thereby ensuring fair and transparent elections with active and responsible participation from all sectors of society.