Iraqi butcher gets 10 years for selling pork in holy city

An Iraqi court sentenced a butcher to 10 years in prison on Monday for selling pork that he claimed was beef in the holy Muslim city of Najaf.

Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council said the man was caught with 75 kilograms of pork that he was selling as beef in Najaf, home to one of the world's most revered Shia Muslim shrines.

"Najaf Criminal Court has sentenced a convicted person to 10 years in prison for selling meat not suitable for human consumption," the Council said.

Although Islam forbids pork as it is believed to be impure, Iraqi law does not explicitly ban its sale in the Muslim-majority country, which has a Christian minority.

The court based its ruling on a 1998 law that criminalises the sale of "dog or donkey or other meat... that is unfit for human consumption".

Millions of pilgrims from around the world flock to Najaf every year to visit the mausoleum of Imam Ali -- the Prophet Mohammed's son-in-law, the fourth Islamic caliph and the first Shia Imam.

The butcher, who was arrested this month, attracted widespread attention on social media, with some Iraqis calling for better food safety and others sharing funny videos of pigs captioned "here is Najaf".

Najaf resident Ahmad al-Mansouri told AFP jokingly: "I think I have eaten more pork than beef or lamb over the past years."

He was among many residents who were deceived. After buying a kilogram of ground meat and finding it was of "excellent quality" and cheaper than the market rate, he started visiting the butcher more often.

"We were surprised when he was arrested on charges of selling pork," Mansouri said.