Erbil court orders arrests of four over alleged blasphemy

ERBIL, Iraq — Courts in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region, issued arrest warrants for four people accused of insulting Islam, according to local reports. Security forces detained two of the suspects, and one was referred to the relevant court. The investigation began after a group of clerics and lawyers filed a criminal complaint with the Erbil Magistrate Court. The petition alleged that the suspects had engaged in conduct that insulted Islamic holy values. Mohammed Sabah, a university lecturer and Islamic preacher among the complainants, said the Kurdistan Region serves as a model for peaceful coexistence among different faiths and communities. He stressed that respect for religious and ethnic sensitivities must be maintained in the region, and that legal action was initiated on that basis. The court statement said the judiciary was pursuing those who insult Islam and that legal measures had been taken in similar cases in the past. No further details on the suspects or the alleged incidents were immediately available.