Baghdad court sentences man to 10 years for promoting banned Baath Party online

BAGHDAD — The Karkh Criminal Court on Monday sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for promoting the ideology of the banned Baath Party through social media, according to Iraq’s judiciary.

In a statement, the Supreme Judicial Council said the defendant was found guilty of disseminating materials supporting Baath Party activities in Baghdad. Authorities said promotional content was found in his possession.

The verdict was issued under Article 9 of Law No. 32 of 2016, which prohibits the Baath Party as well as any racist, terrorist, or takfiri entities and activities.

The Baath Party ruled Iraq from 1968 until its fall in 2003 and remains banned under Iraqi law. It is associated with widespread human rights violations, including atrocities against the Kurdish population and suppression of political dissent.

Last month, the Accountability and Justice Commission reaffirmed that it is actively tracking former Baath Party members and preventing the resurgence of Baathist ideology through a centralized database and coordination with other state institutions. A specialized unit also monitors content in media, academia, and cultural sectors in cooperation with the Communications and Media Commission.

In July, security forces arrested 40 people accused of promoting Baathist ideology online, followed by two more arrests in Dhi Qar’s Souq Al-Shuyoukh district in September for similar offenses.