Shafaq News- Dhi Qar

An Iraqi criminal court in Dhi Qar province convicted a senior figure in the banned “Qurban” group for inciting children to take their own lives, as judges handed down multiple life sentences in separate murder cases, a security source told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

The source said the court found the group leader guilty of promoting suicide among minors in line with the sect’s doctrine. The group espouses extremist beliefs, including the deification of Ali ibn Abi Talib -Prophet Mohammed’s cousin and son-in-law- and promotes ritual self-sacrifice through practices such as drawing lots to select individuals for “offering.”

Iraqi law criminalizes affiliation with groups that advocate violence or extremist ideologies, and authorities have designated the “Qurban” movement as an outlawed organization.