Human Rights Watch criticized the Iraqi government for breaking its promises last year to hold accountable those responsible for abuses against protesters, activists, journalists, critics of political elites, and the Popular Mobilization Forces.
The human rights organization said – in its annual report issued today, Thursday – that the violations included arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.
She indicated that in the absence of accountability, armed groups launched 3 armed drones at the home of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi on the seventh of last November, apparently in an attempt to kill him.
“The attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Al-Kazemi clearly reflects the impunity of Iraqi armed groups, as they are not afraid of even launching a blatant attack on the country’s leader,” said Belkis Wali, a senior official at Human Rights Watch.
In the 752-page “World Report 2022”, its 32nd edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in nearly 100 countries and highlights demonstrations calling for reform.
It says that during protests that began in October 2019 and continued until late 2020, clashes with Iraqi security forces – including the Popular Mobilization Forces nominally under the prime minister – left at least 487 protesters dead in Baghdad and southern cities. In May 2020, when Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took office, he formed a committee to investigate the killings of protesters, but as of December 2021, he had not yet announced any results.
In February 2021, the government announced the arrest of members of a “death squad” allegedly responsible for killing at least 3 activists in the southern city of Basra. And the Baghdad authorities announced – last July – that they had arrested 3 lower-ranking security men in connection with abuses against protesters, and a man allegedly responsible for the killing of political analyst Hisham al-Hashemi in 2020. The only police officer to be tried was sentenced to death in November The last second of his membership in the “Death Squad”.
On the tenth of last October, Iraqis voted for a new parliament, with a turnout of only 36%. While some young leaders were too afraid or unable to run; Because they had to flee their homes, while many in the movement seemed to be disappointed, as they felt that there was no point in voting, according to the report.
Throughout 2021, the KRG brought several cases against journalists for their writing; In February 2021, the Erbil Criminal Court sentenced three journalists and two activists each to six years in prison, based on proceedings marred by serious fair trial violations, as well as high-level political interference. The court rejected the defendants’ allegations of torture and ill-treatment, citing a lack of evidence.
Another journalist was sentenced to one year in prison for alleged misuse of his cell phone and defamation charges last June and September.
Four other activists and journalists were arrested in 2020, and they were sentenced to between one and two years in prison on the eighth of last November.
“It is worrying to see Kurdistan authorities prosecuting people for speech that is supposed to be protected, and without any regard for the flaws in their trials. By bringing these cases, the authorities are sending a clear signal to critical journalists to remain silent,” Wali said.