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Police forces in the Iraqi Kurdistan region arrested Sana Yousif Ahmed, a prominent Kurdish model from Sulaymaniyah, on charges of misusing electrical devices and allegedly praising the former Saddam HusseinÌýregime and its 1988 gasÌýthat killed more than five hundred people.Ìý

Ahmed, who has more than half a million followers on, was arrested late Sunday afterÌýa lawsuit was filedÌýby theÌýKurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs following a recording ofÌýAhmad that circulatedÌýsocial media platforms and garneredÌýrebukeÌýbyÌýKurdish users, particularlyÌýfamilies of the victims of the Halabja gas attack.

Kurdish authorities filed the complaint based on the controversial Article 2 of 2008ÌýofÌýKRG's law thatÌý"prevent the misuse of telecommunications equipment"ÌýandÌýisÌýwith six months to five years of prison or a fine that ranges between one to fiveÌýmillion Iraqi dinars ($US 700-$US 3,500).Ìý

In the recording,Ìýthe modelÌýcan be heard "praising"ÌýSaddam Hussein for attacking Halabja with internationally banned chemical weapons. However. it is not yet clear how the recording was leakedÌýonline toÌývarious social media platforms, andÌýthe comments mayÌýbe taken out of context sinceÌýit seems that she was angrily respondingÌýto a fan.Ìý

"She has been arrested as a result of insulting the blood of Halabja martyrs, as well as people of Halabja. Following her insults, the Directorate General of theÌýMartyrs and Anfal Affairs in Halabja province related to our ministry filed a legal case against her,"ÌýAdil Mullah Salih, head of media and relations at the ministryÌýtold °®Âþµº in a phone interview.

"She will be brought in front of the court soon. We consider the blood of our martyrs, especially Halabja, a red line that no one should cross," the official said.Ìý

Salih also added that they have no information on whom Sana was speaking to when she made her comments nor how the recording was published online, nevertheless stressing thatÌýher commentsÌýhave had aÌý"very negative impactÌýon the psychology of the families and relatives of the martyrs."ÌýÌý

KRG's Article 2Ìýto prevent the misuse of telecommunications equipment has been widelyÌýon the grounds that its useÌýby the Kurdish authorities was toÌý"curb the freedom of speech"Ìýand censorÌýjournalists and political activists.Ìý

KRG's parliament has been urged by Halabja's community to pass a law to formalise punishmentsÌýtowardsÌýhate speech directed atÌý"Kurdish national symbols"Ìýin the region.Ìý

Several civil society organizations, including the KRG's JournalistÌýSyndicate, have backed a proposal at the Kurdistan parliament to pass a law to criminalise denial of the Halabja's gas attackÌýand any glorificationÌýof the ousted Iraqi Baath regime or Saddam Hussein.Ìý