The initiative is expected to significantly modernise Iraq’s approach to identity verification and law enforcement
Iraq has begun construction of a new data centre named “Injaz” to strengthen its digital identity and criminal investigation infrastructure. Developed in partnership with French multinational Thales, the centre will serve as a central repository linking national digital ID records with forensic databases, according to a report by 964media.
The initiative is expected to significantly modernise Iraq’s approach to identity verification and law enforcement. The Injaz facility will integrate data from approximately 44 million national ID cards with criminal investigation records, including biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, facial recognition, and DNA, along with firearm registration details. Already, over 4 million biometric records and nearly 1 million demographic profiles have been digitised and uploaded to the system.
“All of this will greatly enhance the field of investigations and security,” said Miqdad Miri, spokesperson for Iraq’s Interior Ministry. “It will move us away from outdated investigative methods that are no longer effective. This project is the first of its kind in the history of the Interior Ministry and will transform our work. We will confront suspects with indisputable, error-free evidence.”
Iraq crossed the milestone of 40 million digital IDs earlier this year, as confirmed by Veridos, the company providing technology for the identity cards. The partnership between Iraq and Veridos also includes the establishment of an identity document production facility in Baghdad and the launch of hundreds of enrolment centres across the country.
As part of the broader digital transformation, the country is preparing to introduce face biometrics for voter verification ahead of its upcoming general elections on 11 November. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) began the candidate registration process today, which will continue until 4 May. Discussions are ongoing with a biometrics provider to upgrade Iraq’s electoral system to support facial recognition technology on polling day.
Challenges with fingerprint-based voter verification were reported during the 2021 elections, prompting authorities to adopt a more robust and reliable system. The country is currently running a nationwide biometric voter registration campaign to ensure better accuracy and transparency in the electoral process.
The integration of digital identity with forensic tools signals a shift towards more efficient governance and accountability mechanisms in Iraq, as the nation works to modernise both its civil infrastructure and electoral processes.
