Arrests in Iraqi provinces on charges of forgery, spreading rumors and public funds violations

Security sources and official statements said Saturday evening that suspects were arrested on various crimes, including forgery and spreading rumors, in more than one governorate, and that an employee at the Customs Authority was also detained on a charge of violating public funds.

In Baghdad, the sources said a security force arrested a woman born in 2001 in the Al-Ur neighborhood. Inside her home authorities seized 13 forged license plate numbers, 11 annual vehicle stickers, one seal, and 31 assorted wheel-related items.

In a separate Baghdad incident, a security force arrested an employee of the General Customs Authority. An arrest warrant had been issued against him by the Kut Investigative Court under Article 340, which states: "Any employee or person assigned to public service who deliberately causes damage to the funds or interests of the entity for which he works or is connected to by virtue of his job, or to the funds of persons entrusted to him, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or by detention." The arrest took place on Haifa Street in the Dutch Complex, and the suspect was handed over to the competent authorities.

In Kirkuk, a group of young men were arrested in the Dibis district after they opened a live broadcast on social media in which they spoke of shelling and implied that the situation was out of control, following circulation of that broadcast which contained information about the shelling.

In Salah al-Din, the provincial police command announced the arrest of several suspects in various criminal cases during security operations carried out in different areas as part of the local security plan. The operations resulted in the detention of suspects in theft cases under Article 446 of the Penal Code; fraud and issuing a check without funds under Article 459; forgery under Article 289; and brawls under Article 413.