Baghdad police arrest suspects in Al-Mansour harassment case

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Police in Baghdad arrested a number of suspects over the harassment of a young woman in the capital's Al-Mansour district, according to a statement by the Interior Ministry.

The arrests followed the circulation of a video of the incident on social media, which prompted wide public debate. Some edited versions of the clip appeared to shift blame onto the young woman.

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The security team obtained judicial authorization, traced those involved, and identified them before detaining a number of them shortly after the clip appeared online, according to the statement.

The detainees were held under Article 402 of Iraq's Penal Code and referred to the competent authorities to complete the investigation, the statement said. Article 402 of the code (Law No. 111 of 1969) penalizes harassing a woman in a public place through words, gestures, or actions deemed to offend her modesty, with up to three months in prison, a fine, or both, and provides for heavier penalties for repeat offenders.

Shafaq News could not obtain further details from police, given the sensitivity surrounding the young woman's age and the identities of those detained. The statement did not specify the number of suspects held or the timing of the incident.

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