Basra man arrested for child abuse, threats to burn children alive

BASRA — Police in Basra governorate on Sunday announced the arrest of a man accused of abusing his children and threatening to burn them alive, following a complaint filed by his wife who provided audio and video recordings as evidence.

“The patrols of the Al-Faw Police Department managed to arrest a suspect who abused his children and threatened to burn them alive, after receiving an official complaint from his wife supported by audio and video recordings documenting the incident,” the department said in a statement.

According to details in the statement, the wife reported that she had been beaten by her husband two days earlier and subsequently left the family home to seek refuge with her parents. “The suspect did not stop there. He later sent her voice messages and video clips threatening to burn the children using gasoline,” the statement said.

A security team from the Al-Faw police station surrounded the suspect’s house and arrested him.

“The Basra Police Command affirms that it takes such cases, which affect the safety of children and the community, very seriously and will not tolerate anyone who dares to commit actions that are criminal by law, ethics, and human conscience,” the statement continued.

The suspect has been referred to the judiciary on charges including threats, intentional harm, and attempted murder. Authorities said the charges carry the possibility of lengthy prison terms depending on the severity of the crime and the strength of the evidence.