Legal framework for protecting public office and promoting integrity and professional ethics

2026-05-18

Legal Regulation for Protecting Public Office and Promoting Integrity and Professional Ethics
The Legal Studies Department at the Bayt Al-Hikma organized a scientific seminar today, Monday, May 18, 2026, entitled “Legal Regulation for Protecting Public Office and Promoting Integrity and Professional Ethics,” under the supervision and attendance of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bayt Al-Hikma, Dr. Qahtan Nima Hassan Al-Khafaji, at Dr. Mahmoud Ali Al-Dawood Hall.
The session was moderated by Professor Dr. Izz Al-Din Al-Mohammadi, Head of the Legal Studies Department at Bayt Al-Hikma, while Dr. Zikra Inaam Ghaib served as rapporteur of the department.
The seminar highlighted the essence of public office and the means of safeguarding its ethics. Public office is regarded as one of the fundamental pillars of the modern state, representing the institutional framework through which the state exercises its political, economic, and service-related functions. It is a national and strategic responsibility directly linked to the efficiency and stability of the state.
The seminar included several themes presented by a group of specialized academics and researchers from various scientific and academic institutions. Dr. Hazem Mohammed Al-Rudaini, from the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq, presented a research paper addressing the legal framework regulating public office and its general concept. He reviewed the objectives and tasks of the Federal Public Service Council Law and proposed future developments for public service, emphasizing the necessity of activating the laws stipulated in the Iraqi Constitution, particularly those related to citizens’ rights and their interaction with government institutions.
Meanwhile, Dr. Wael Mundhir Al-Bayati, from the Al-Mustansiriya University, presented a study on the ethics of public office, including integrity, neutrality, and transparency, as well as the impact of societal and religious values on professional conduct. He noted that these values begin within the family and society through individual upbringing. He also discussed the importance of the State Employees Discipline Law, the Integrity Commission Law, and the Public Service Council Law, which together form the foundation for building responsible citizenship within public service.
In addition, Mr. Haider Abdullah Fadil, from the University of Technology, presented a paper reviewing the role of oversight and disciplinary measures in protecting public office, as well as the mechanisms of institutional and individual monitoring processes. He stressed that institutional success lies in the integration of oversight systems, which contribute to meeting employees’ economic and moral needs, while also presenting several important recommendations aimed at strengthening administrative oversight mechanisms.
Concluding the seminar, Dr. Mohammed Ismat Al-Bayati, a member of the Federal Public Service Council, presented a paper discussing contemporary challenges in protecting public office, taking Iraq as a model amid political, economic, and digital transformations, and the emergence of new challenges related to cybersecurity, data management, and automation. He emphasized the importance of protecting public office as a strategic reform priority that requires a comprehensive vision for rebuilding public administration in a manner consistent with global transformations, capable of addressing internal challenges, and laying the foundation for a new phase of institutional efficiency and administrative sustainability.
At the conclusion of the seminar, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bayt Al-Hikma expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the participating researchers, affirming the institution’s ongoing commitment, through its scientific departments, to shedding light on issues that elevate human development and support decision-makers.