School Director Allegedly Assaults 12-Year-Old Girl in Iraq: Basra Police Respond

Following the circulation of news on social media in Iraq about a private school director allegedly raping and abusing a 12-year-old girl in Al-Zubair district, the Basra Police Command issued a statement on the matter. The command denied the claims in its statement, adding that there are malicious individuals attempting to tarnish the true image of Basra province, according to the Iraqi National News Agency. The Basra Police urged media outlets and citizens to obtain information from reliable sources and to exercise caution in their reporting, threatening legal action against those involved. The account "Iraqi Women Rights" had posted about the crime, revealing the name and picture of the school director and indicated that the girl's condition was very poor and she had been transported to the hospital. The account, which called for the Iraqi judiciary to take action, noted that the information was shared by eyewitnesses who are neighbors of the girl's family.