On December 24, 2013, Al Ghariri, a 19-year-old student from Latifiya, left his home at 12 p.m., as he would usually do, and headed towards his school. He was arrested near his house by officers from the 17th Division of the Iraqi Army, who were on patrol at the time. On the same day, Al Ghariri’s mother inquired about his fate and whereabouts at the 17th Division’s branch in Mahmoudiyah, giving them his full name. The guards confirmed that he was being held at this location. They then asked Al Ghariri’s mother to come back later in the afternoon and bring clothes and food for him. When she went back as required, the intelligence officer who was responsible for the Brigade’s security denied that Al Ghariri was detained there.

After one week, his family filed a complaint at Latifiya police station. They informed officers at the station that he was being detained by the 17th Division, however they were told that they could not file a complaint against the army. When they returned to the 17th Division’s branch in Mahmoudiyah, they were permitted access to the facility’s detention records, but his name could not be found in the detainees’ registry. They then visited Tasfirat prison in order to inquire about his fate and whereabouts, but to no avail. On February 23, 2015, Al Ghariri’s family visited the Central Criminal Court in Baghdad, however they did not find his name in the registry.