Iraq records 209 human trafficking cases in June, high court says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Higher Judicial Council released crime statistics for June 2026, recording 209 human trafficking cases across the country's appeals courts. Basra led with 87 cases, followed by Baghdad's Karkh court with 22 and Dhi Qar with 20, while Najaf and Muthanna appeals courts reported none. Under the 2017 Law No. 76 on foreign residency violations, 233 cases were logged during the same period. Baghdad's Rusafa court registered 122 cases, Kirkuk 41 and Qadisiyah 19. The council's data also covered 18 suicide cases reported to courts in June. Nineveh accounted for five, Wasit four, Basra and Dhi Qar three each, and Kirkuk, Maysan and Qadisiyah one each. The Higher Judicial Council published the figures as part of its monthly crime statistics but did not provide further details on the cases.