Iraq charges two individuals with sectarian hate

Shafaq News – Baghdad

The Offensive Content Committee has filed legal complaints against two individuals for spreading sectarian hatred on social media, Iraq’s Ministry of Interior reported on Monday.

In a statement, the ministry identified the suspects as Uday Al-Ghariri, a mosque imam (religious prayer leader), and Abdul Hussein Hayal Al-Hatami, a poet. Both now face legal proceedings before the Karkh Investigative Court, which oversees media and publication-related offenses.

While the ministry stressed that their posts, though not specified in detail, violated laws designed to protect social harmony, it warned that stoking sectarian tensions threatens national stability, urging Iraqis to avoid sharing or amplifying divisive content.

Last Friday, the ministry announced plans to expand prosecutions targeting those who use social media to promote hate or sectarian division.