A man was arrested by Iraqi authorities and forced to apologize after a video circulated of him painting a stray dog blue in the country’s southernmost Basra province, according to local media reports and videos of the incident.
Basra police confirmed the man’s arrest, citing Article 486 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which criminalizes animal abuse, according to Rudaw media.
If found guilty, the man can face up to three months in detention or a fine for severely beating, tormenting or otherwise mistreating animals.
While condemning the “abusive act,” Basra law enforcement reportedly described the man’s actions as "reprehensible and contrary to human norms,” adding that he had been “placed in custody pending legal proceedings.”
Apologizing for painting the dog blue
The man, identified by Rudaw as Haidar al-Aboud, later published an apology video on social media where he assured the public the dog was not painted with a normal harsh chemical paint.
He also claimed the dog was his personal guard dog, and not a stray animal and apologized for the upset the incident had caused.