Man sentenced 8 years for pushing Iraq-Israel normalization

Shafaq News – Dhi Qar

A criminal court in Dhi Qar, southern Iraq, sentenced a man to eight years in prison for urging the Iraqi government to normalize relations with Israel, a source told Shafaq News on Sunday.

According to the source, the court based its ruling on Iraq’s “Criminalizing Normalization and Establishment of Relations with the Zionist Entity” bill, which forbids any diplomatic, political, military, economic, cultural, or other form of engagement with Israel. The law was approved by Parliament in May 2022 after being introduced by the Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM) led by Muqtada Al-Sadr.

The legislation imposes penalties ranging from fixed-term imprisonment to life sentences. In July 2025, Iraq issued its first life sentence under the 2022 law to a man convicted of promoting ties with Israel on social media and possessing Hebrew-language materials.

Iraq maintains no relations with Israel, and the government continues to oppose any steps toward normalization.