Iraqi lawyer speaks of detention for ‘insulting authorities’

23-03-2021
Sura Ali
Sura Ali
A+ A-

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — An Iraqi lawyer and activist has spoken of his detention on allegations of “insulting public authorities” after his release on Monday. 

Ibrahim al-Sumaida'i was taken to an unknown location and placed in solitary confinement after a raid on his house in Baghdad on Friday, he said in a statement on Tuesday. His phone was searched and he was unable to leave the room to use the bathroom, he said.

Iraqi security forces arrested Sumaida'i late on Friday, acting on an arrest warrant on the charge of "publicly insulting public authorities" issued by the Al-Karkh Investigation Court in Baghdad, after a representative from the Supreme Judicial Council filed a lawsuit against him.

The warrant was issued following "his attack on official institutions, describing them with bad words that go beyond the limits of the freedom of expression," according to a statement from the Supreme Judicial Council on Saturday, who said he had made “indecent comments” in a WhatsApp group chat with group MPs and journalists.

"The court asked me to apologize for what I said, and I repeat my apology in this statement," said Sumaida'i, adding that he is "astonished” that authorities have lodged lawsuits against people “for having opinions.”

He was released on bail on Monday.

His arrest was criticized by the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights, which expressed "grave concern" that the arrest warrant was issued without regard for humanitarian and legal legislation. It is a "flagrant violation of human rights," the commission said on Saturday, calling for Sumaida'i's immediate release.

Comments

Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.

To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.

We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.

Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.

Post a comment

Required
Required
 

The Latest

Graphic: Rudaw

ISIS kills two members of Iraqi security forces in Diyala: Police

At least two members of the Iraqi security forces were killed overnight in a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) attack in Diyala province, a police source said on Sunday.