Haider Al Mousawi posted a photo of his baby brother, Ahmed, last week to mark 40 years since his execution, not knowing he would be reunited with a “living martyr” a few days later in Baghdad.
The photo, posted on Facebook, circulated on various Iraqi WhatsApp groups until one woman recognised Ahmed as her adopted brother.
In 1980, the brothers' father was jailed by former dictator Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime on suspicion of being a member of the Shiite Dawa Party, which was banned.
The two brothers, toddlers at the time, were put behind bars along with their parents, in separate cells.
“On this day, 40 years ago, I was detained in prison," Haider said in the Facebook post. "You might ask me, 'How old are you now?'
"I’m 44 years old and in 1980 I was four years old, and I recall everything that happened to me.
“If you have a father who is associated with politics, how is that your fault?
"Time is beautiful because the Baathists have gone. But my whole family was killed and I was the only one who managed to escape from prison."
Haider’s grandmother managed to smuggle him out of the jail under her abaya, but she left Ahmed behind.
The family believed Ahmed was executed along with his parents at the hands of the Baathists.
But he was found at a police station a few years later and raised by a local neighbourhood chief.
“The picture of Ahmed as a baby was shared nearly a million times and I never thought, in my life, that I would meet him again,” Haider told a local newspaper.
The brothers finally met in an emotional reunion in Baghdad on Saturday.
“This story doesn’t pertain to two people only, it summarises the pain of a nation. My brother is a living martyr,” Haider said shortly after.
“God wanted us and the blood of the martyrs to live on. The case of Ahmed will become a public issue. There will be one thousand Ahmeds!”
The brothers' story exemplifies thousands of cases that are “waiting for justice” and to which the media and world have turned a blind eye, said Ali Al Bayati, a member of the Iraqi Human Rights Commission.
"It is a truly painful story that expresses the extent of the horrendous and ugly crimes that targeted the Iraqi people, especially certain societies, by the previous Baath regime, which used to derive its strength, presence and arrogance from regional and international support," Mr Al Bayati told The National.
“All the crimes committed are crimes against humanity and what is revealed here is a drop in the ocean."
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
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Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House
The essentials
What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
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