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Print version. Published on 202.ip-51-77-231.eu Original: /urgent-campaigns/urgent-interventions/iraq/2019/10/d25539/ |

The
undersigned international, regional and Iraqi human rights organisations demand
that the authorities in Iraq immediately uphold promises to put an end to
violent reprisals against the popular protest movement taking place across the
country, which has left over 100 people dead, with thousands more injured and
hundreds detained. We call for the state to ensure that Iraqis’ rights to
freedom of assembly and expression to be respected by ensuring that there are
no further attacks on protests or media offices, and to spare no effort to investigate the excessive use of force.
We further call for the United Nations Human Rights Council to hold an urgent
debate or a special session to address the rights crisis in Iraq.
Peaceful
demonstrations began on 01 October in the central and southern cities of Iraq,
including Baghdad, Basra, Najaf, Babylon and Diwaniya. They reiterated the
demands of previous protests that began in July 2018, calling for an end to
corruption and unemployment, denouncing poor service delivery, and building a
law-abiding state that respects the public freedoms
of all citizens.
As the
protests continued in defiance of a curfew, riot police and other members of the
security services began to use excessive force, such as firing live ammunition directly
at crowds instead of overhead, and using stun grenades, water cannons (with hot water) and tear
gas against protesters. On two occasions, armoured vehicles ran
over protesters. Several reports confirmed that snipers on top of buildings fatally shot
protesters, but the authorities claimed they were not state forces. These acts
are in direct violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, to which Iraq is a party.
According
to the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights, the
recorded number of victims, including protesters and security forces dead and
wounded, as of midnight on 6 October includes:
Media and
activists monitoring the demonstrations reported that the real numbers could
be much higher. Security forces also
arrested hundreds of peaceful demonstrators and human rights defenders in
various Iraqi cities, and some of those arrested were reportedly beaten.
Witnesses reported that others were arrested from inside Baghdad hospitals, despite
being wounded, without judicial warrants.
On 4
October, eight human rights defenders in Basra were arbitrarily
detained without warrant by Iraqi security forces, including human
rights defender Hussam Al-Khamisy, according to witnesses who spoke to the Gulf
Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and local Iraqi rights groups. They were held
for six hours and released only after being forced to sign a document, which
they were not even allowed to read.
In a
tragic incident reported by GCHR and local Iraqi sources, on 2 October 2019,
neighbours told GCHR’s Iraqi sources that they saw masked
gunmen storm the Basra apartment of human
rights defenders Hussein Adel and Sara Taleb, and shoot them dead in front of
their two-year-old daughter. They had provided first aid to injured protesters.
After taking part in popular protests in Basra earlier in 2019, the couple
reported to the local police that they had received several threats by armed
groups.
In
addition, freedom of expression and access to information are greatly at risk. On
5 October, armed groups stormed satellite TV Channels Al-Arabiya, Al-Hadath, Dijlah and NRT
Arabic, and Dijlah remains closed for a month by order of the
Communications and Media Commission. The government shut down the internet on
the evening of 2 October for five days, as well as blocking Facebook, Twitter,
WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms, and Internet access
remains sporadic.
We the undersigned organisations call upon the
authorities in Iraq to abide by their international commitments, including
recommendations to Iraq’s upcoming Universal Periodic Review, to:
1. Fulfill
promises made by the Prime Minister to conduct independent, impartial, thorough
and prompt investigations into the deaths that occurred during street
demonstrations, with a view to disseminating the results and bringing those
responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
2.
Fulfill their international obligations to
protect the freedoms of assembly and expression, by allowing protesters to
peacefully gather without fear of repression or arrest, and ensuring that media
may freely operate and that access to the Internet is not blocked;
3. Promptly
investigate the murders of human rights defenders and protesters targeted in
their homes, with a view to disseminating the results and bringing those
responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
4. Immediately and
unconditionally release all peaceful protesters who have been detained and
provide medical treatment to all those who need it; and
5.
Ensure that all human rights defenders and
media are able to operate without restrictions, including judicial harassment.
Signed,
Access Now
Amnesty International
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI)
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights
CIVICUS
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
FIDH
Front Line Defenders
Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
Iraqi Al-Amal Association
Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR), Iraqi Network for
Social Media (INSM)
Metro Center for Journalists Rights & Advocacy
PEN Center in Iraq
PEN International
Social Media Exchange (SMEX)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)