Halabja Governorate building
'In no way true'
Child protection organization warns of begging cases involving children in Halabja
HALABJA — The Kurdistan Child Protection Organization in Halabja has warned residents about individuals using children in staged begging scenarios, falsely claiming they are sick and in need of medical treatment.
Aras Abid, head of the organization’s Halabja branch, told 964media that the individuals involved are not from Halabja and that the activity is prohibited. “We warn citizens not to believe these scenarios because they are in no way true,” Abid said.
He added that local security forces are detaining individuals daily for involvement in such acts. Investigations have shown that the children are often not ill and are being exploited by their own families to solicit money.
The organization urged residents to report suspected cases directly and said it would cover the cost of treatment for any children found to be genuinely sick.
Halabja, located near the Iranian border and roughly 83 kilometers southeast of Sulaymaniyah, has been officially recognized as a governorate by the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Articles 390 and 391 of the Iraqi Penal Code classify begging as a criminal offense, punishable by up to three months in prison or a fine of 450,000 dinars (about $343).
In January, the Kurdistan Region’s Independent Commission for Human Rights began gathering data on child begging and labor. “Addressing the issues of child begging and labor is crucial for the well-being and future of these children,” commission head Mona Yaqo told 964media.
