On December 27, 2006, Qassim Al Obaidi was driving his car north towards the town of Baqubah when he arrived at the Al Georgia checkpoint, which was under the control of the Iraqi federal police at the time.

While he was on the phone with his brother, Al Obaidi was stopped at the checkpoint, where the police officer took his mobile phone and, after seeing a picture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein as screensaver, shouted at him and abruptly ended his phone call.

Following this incident, Qassim’s brother was unable to reach him on the phone. Later on, thirty minutes after the end of the call, his brother went to the Al Georgia checkpoint to enquire with the police officers about Qassim’s fate and whereabouts. Although his brother reported hearing police officers arresting him over the phone, the officers repeatedly denied that the arrest took place.

One week after the arrest, the family submitted a complaint to the Police Directorate in Baqubah, which was then transferred to the Investigation Court of Baqubah, but to no avail. Qassim’s fate and whereabouts remain unknown to date.