ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Feyli Kurdish jurist and former member of Iraq’s High Tribunal is set to serve as legal advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, the appointee said on Sunday.
“In this government cabinet, I have assumed the role of legal advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali Falih al-Zaidi,” Munir Haddad told Rudaw.
Feyli Kurds are a minority Shiite Kurdish community historically concentrated in parts of Baghdad, disputed territories in the southern areas of the Kurdistan Region, and along the Iraq–Iran border. Significant populations also reside in Iran. Their historical homeland includes areas such as Khanaqin and Mandali, which remain part of disputed territories between Baghdad and Erbil.
Haddad served as a judge on the Iraqi High Tribunal, established in 2003 to prosecute senior figures from Iraq’s former Baathist regime. He previously held senior judicial roles, including President of the Cassation Chamber and Vice President of the court.
As a member of the tribunal, Haddad was among the judges involved in proceedings surrounding the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in late 2006. He read out the death sentence and legal procedures in the execution chamber.
Throughout his career, Haddad has been known for his legal and human rights advocacy, particularly regarding the rights of Feyli Kurds. He has consistently worked on efforts to restore citizenship rights and seek reparations for those affected by past displacement and persecution.
Feyli Kurds suffered mass displacement and property confiscation during Iraq’s Baathist era, particularly under Revolutionary Command Council Resolution 666, which revoked their Iraqi nationality.
Between the 1960s and 1980s, an estimated 1.4 million Feyli Kurds were deported to Iran, while thousands were killed. Many families still report lacking full citizenship documentation today and continue to describe feeling politically and administratively marginalized between Baghdad and Erbil.
