Baghdad, Iraq- On Monday, a man was arrested in Baghdad for raising the flag of the former Iraqi regime over his house in the Somer neighborhood, according to a security source. The flag, which was used during Saddam Hussein’s regime, is illegal to display in Iraq.
The man was detained for questioning, and authorities are investigating his motives. They are also examining whether any groups or parties were involved in the act. The incident occurred in central Baghdad, and the man is now in custody as officials work to gather more details about the flag’s display.
This arrest follows a similar event in December 2024, when four individuals were detained in Al-Anbar province for raising the same flag during national celebrations. The display of the old Iraqi flag, which features three stars, is considered illegal under Iraqi law.
Following the fall of Saddam Hussein’s government in 2003, the flag was replaced in 2004 with a new design, which became the official symbol of Iraq. Displaying the old flag is prohibited by Article 7 of the Iraqi Constitution, which bans the Iraqi Ba’ath Party and its symbols. Additionally, the Iraqi Penal Code treats the public display of the flag as an endorsement of the former regime’s ideologies, which remains a sensitive and highly controversial issue in the country.
This act of displaying the old flag highlights ongoing tensions regarding Iraq’s past, and the government continues to enforce strict laws to prevent the revival of symbols linked to Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship.
