Criminal Response to Extremist Religious Movements (The “Qurban” Movement as a Case Study)

Abstract

The “Qurban” movement is considered an example of extremist religious movements that have emerged in recent years in Iraq, particularly in the central and southern regions. This movement is based on the revival of strange and extremist rituals that are unlawful from a legal perspective. It is also regarded as a violation of the fundamental principles of the Iraqi Constitution, particularly Islam as the official religion of the State, as it relies on false narratives that contradict the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet.

One of the core elements of this movement is the concept of self-sacrifice as an offering to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), whom the adherents of this deviant belief—according to security reports—allegedly elevate to divine status, attributing to him qualities that are absolutely contrary to Islamic monotheism.

Security reports indicate that members of this group are often young individuals, particularly adolescents, who are recruited through secret gatherings organized by the movement’s leaders during Husseini rituals and other religious ceremonies, exploiting the emotional vulnerability of teenagers. The involvement with the movement begins with unusual ritual practices and may later evolve into collective participation and random selection of adolescents for sacrificial acts based on their beliefs.

However, the Iraqi judiciary has not remained passive; rather, it has actively addressed this phenomenon by applying existing provisions of the Iraqi Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, particularly Articles 372 and 408, despite the absence of a specific legal text criminalizing the movement itself.