Action Group – Iraq
An Iraqi court has sentenced Abdul Rahman Mustafa Saleh, a 20-year-old Palestinian-Syrian youth, to six years in prison after he was detained in the capital, Baghdad, over a personal photo found on his mobile phone, which was described as an “insult to state symbols or a threat to security.”
According to human rights sources and people close to the young man, the arrest was due to his use of a photo of Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa as his phone wallpaper, with no links to political activity or public affiliations. Abdul Rahman has been living in Iraq as a refugee for several years and works at a restaurant in Baghdad.
The ruling sparked widespread criticism from activists and human rights organizations, who deemed it “harsh and disproportionate to the nature of the act,” pointing out that Abdul Rahman has no criminal record and is known for his calm demeanor and professional conduct.
In response, his family has called on Iraqi authorities to review the verdict and release him immediately, stressing that the incident reflects a crackdown on personal freedoms. They also urged diplomatic intervention from Syrian authorities, in light of the bilateral relations between Iraq and Syria and the presence of a large Palestinian and Syrian refugee community in Iraq.
This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by refugees in host countries, and the importance of ensuring freedom of expression and adherence to international human rights standards by national authorities.