Shafaq News – Basra

An arrest warrant has been issued in Basra against former Iraqi MP Rehab al-Obaidi on charges of “defamation and slander” tied to the controversial case of psychiatrist Dr. Ban Ziyad, an informed source revealed on Wednesday.

On August 4, Ziyad died at her family’s home, sparking widespread outrage before Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council closed the investigation and ruled it a suicide. Posts attributed to al-Obaidi on social media further inflamed the controversy.

The source explained to Shafaq News that the warrant, issued under Article 433 of Iraq’s Penal Code, came after complaints filed by Ziyad’s parents.

Basra Governor Asaad al-Eidani had also initiated separate legal action, accusing al-Obaidi of circulating “false information” about the case.

In her defense, al-Obaidi alleged that her accounts had been suspended following mass reporting and vowed to sue outlets publishing what she described as fake news about her.