Sweden jails Iraqi for war crimes after Facebook post

After his jail time is completed, Sweden will deport an Iraqi for posting graphic pictures of himself and corpses on Facebook.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab & agencies

06 December, 2016

Activists have demanded that Sweden take action against alleged war criminals in the country [AFP]

An Iraqi man has been jailed in Sweden for six months for war crimes in a landmark case after he posted photos on Facebook of himself posing with dead bodies in Iraq.

Raed Abdulkareem posted the photos on Facebook in July 2015, showing the 24-year-old, who sought asylum in Sweden in October last year, posing next to a severed head on a plate and decapitated bodies.

He claims to have fought for the Iraqi government against the Islamic State group.

The police discovered the photos while investigating Abdulkareem over a robbery, for which he is already serving a prison sentence.

The court said even dead people were protected against violation of "personal dignity" under Swedish law and the Geneva Convention.

Abdulkareem denied all charges against him, arguing he was forced to pose next to the bodies.

The court ruled Abdulkareem would be deported to Iraq and not allowed to re-enter Sweden until 2026.