ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council on Sunday approved the retirement of Federal Supreme Court President Jassim al-Umairi and appointed another judge as his replacement.
Umairi recently requested his retirement following the resignations of six out of nine permanent court members, along with three reserve members.
The Supreme Judicial Council said in a statement that it convened on Sunday and approved Umairi’s retirement, citing “health reasons.”
Munther Ibrahim Hussein, Deputy Head of the Federal Court of Cassation and a reserve member of the federal court, was appointed as Umairi’s replacement.
The retirement and replacement require President Abdul Latif Rashid’s approval.
Umairi was criticised by court members.
“The behavior of the court president is unacceptable to us, and we are tired of dealing with his working manners,” one of the members of the federal court told Rudaw after submitting his resignation.
The resignations came ahead of a planned session at the request of public servants in the Kurdistan Region, seeking an injunction to compel the federal government to resume salary payments. However, the resignations have cast the session into uncertainty.
Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad intensified in late May when the federal finance ministry halted all budget transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including the salaries of more than 1.2 million public sector employees. The ministry stated that the decision was due to the Region exceeding its 12.67 percent share of the 2025 federal budget.
The move has drawn widespread condemnation from Kurdish parties, who argue the suspension is politically driven and unconstitutional.
Umairi recently requested his retirement following the resignations of six out of nine permanent court members, along with three reserve members.
The Supreme Judicial Council said in a statement that it convened on Sunday and approved Umairi’s retirement, citing “health reasons.”
Munther Ibrahim Hussein, Deputy Head of the Federal Court of Cassation and a reserve member of the federal court, was appointed as Umairi’s replacement.
The retirement and replacement require President Abdul Latif Rashid’s approval.
Umairi was criticised by court members.
“The behavior of the court president is unacceptable to us, and we are tired of dealing with his working manners,” one of the members of the federal court told Rudaw after submitting his resignation.
The resignations came ahead of a planned session at the request of public servants in the Kurdistan Region, seeking an injunction to compel the federal government to resume salary payments. However, the resignations have cast the session into uncertainty.
Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad intensified in late May when the federal finance ministry halted all budget transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including the salaries of more than 1.2 million public sector employees. The ministry stated that the decision was due to the Region exceeding its 12.67 percent share of the 2025 federal budget.
The move has drawn widespread condemnation from Kurdish parties, who argue the suspension is politically driven and unconstitutional.
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