Iraqi social-media figure arrested in Turkiye over military defamation

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Ankara

Zaid al-Muharib, an Iraqi social-media figure, has been arrested in Turkiye over accusations of defaming military officers and institutions in a special intelligence operation carried out under established legal procedures, a security source told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

Al-Muharib had for years published material on social media targeting military and security officers and institutions, causing harm to several officials, according to the source.

He had previously faced legal action in Iraq. On April 13, the Federal Police said it had filed a lawsuit against him over social-media posts accusing Lt. Col. Haider Abdul-Rasoul Ali, commander of the Second Battalion of the 14th Brigade in the Fourth Division, of corruption.

The Federal Police alleged at the time that an investigation found al-Muharib had sought money in connection with the posts and threatened to publish further material if payment was not made. It also said he had created a page using the name “Sabreen News” to publish content targeting the officer and security institutions.