3 days ago
Iraq: Imam and poet on trial for insulting religious beliefs
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Wednesday, the Baghdad Court of Appeal began hearings for two men charged with publicly 'insulting' religious beliefs.
A judicial source told Shafaq News that Shiite poet Abdul Hussein Al-Hatami and Sunni preacher Sheikh Uday Al-Ghariri appeared before al-Karkh Court of Appeals, which handles media and publication-related cases. Another source confirmed to our agency that the court released Al-Hatami for lack of evidence.
Al-Ghariri, imam (religious prayer leader) of the Omar Al-Mukhtar Mosque, was detained after a video showed him distributing sweets at the start of Muharram*, an act that deeply offended Shiite communities. Meanwhile, Al-Hatami, a well-known folk poet from southern Iraq, stands accused of stoking sectarian tensions by posting poems deemed insulting to the Rashidun Caliphs and the Prophet Muhammad's wife Aisha, sparking outrage among Sunni groups.
Iraq's Ministry of Interior previously stated that its Offensive Content Committee pursued legal action against both men for spreading sectarian hatred on social media, violating laws that protect religious harmony.
*Muharram is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and holds deep significance for Shiite Muslims, who observe mourning rituals, especially on Ashura, the 10th day, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
