An Iraqi court on Sept 14 sentenced a butcher to 10 years in prison for selling pork that he claimed was beef in the holy Muslim city of Najaf.
Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council said the man was caught with 75kg of pork that he was selling as beef in Najaf, home to one of the world’s most revered Shi’ite Muslim shrines.
Court cites food safety law
“Najaf Criminal Court has sentenced a convicted person to 10 years in prison for selling meat not suitable for human consumption,” the council said.
Although Islam forbids pork as it is considered impure, Iraqi law does not explicitly ban its sale in the Muslim-majority country, which has a Christian minority.
The court based its ruling on a 1998 law that criminalises the sale of “dog or donkey or other meat… that is unfit for human consumption”.
Butcher’s case draws social media attention
The butcher, who was arrested earlier in September, attracted widespread attention on social media.
Some Iraqis called for better food safety, while others shared humorous videos of pigs captioned “here is Najaf”.
Millions of pilgrims from around the world visit Najaf every year to pay their respects at the mausoleum of Imam Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law, the fourth Islamic caliph and the first Shi’ite Imam.
Najaf resident Ahmad al-Mansouri said jokingly: “I think I have eaten more pork than beef or lamb over the past years.”
He was among many residents who were deceived. After buying a kilogram of ground meat and finding it was of “excellent quality” and cheaper than the market rate, he began visiting the butcher more often.
“We were surprised when he was arrested on charges of selling pork,” Mansouri said.
