In letters to the UN, GICJ deplores the UN’s failure to protect Iraqis from the ever-increasing crimes of the militias and security forces.

On 25 August 2020, GICJ sent an urgent appeal to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, and to Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, regarding the surge in assassinations and assassination attempts of Iraqi activists. This appeal was a follow-up to the two letters sent on 18 August 2020, since additional assassinations and assassination attempts occurred that week, thus raising the number of victims in just one week to over 20 activists. In this regard, GICJ stressed the imperative nature of the intervention of the High Commissioner. GICJ also provided the High Commissioner with a preliminary list of a number of Iraqi activists who were subjected to assassinations and assassination attempts from August 14-20, as well as articles highlighting the targeting of activists.

On 21 August 2020, GICJ received an urgent appeal on behalf of 134 Iraqi activists, human rights defenders, and observers from across Iraq, expressing their deep concern at the deteriorating security situation, the assassination operations, systematic targeting of activists, journalists, and human rights defenders and calling on the international community to intervene.

GICJ also stated that it has been receiving daily information and has been in contact with numerous organizations and committees, based on which it has determined that there are many politicians, including members of Parliament, who are actively fuelling the systematic targeting and increased acts of violence against activists and human rights defenders. Recorded television interviews with the former Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki and member of Parliament, Khadum al-Sayadi, reveal encouragement, justification and approval for these attacks. The two have, in interviews and numerous posts on social media, denied the identity of the victims as activists, instead calling them U.S. foreign agents and thus a threat to Iraq.

Threats and intimidation against activists, especially against those assassinated, were carried out by the leader of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militia, affiliated with al-Hashd al-Shaabi, Qais Khazali, and broadcasted through his al-Ahd satellite television. Qais Khazali has always accused the activists of being foreign agents of the U.S.

In the letter, GICJ underlines that the Iranian media indicate the extent of Iranian involvement in these attacks. Portraying the activists as foreign agents, the Iranian media suggest that the activists wish to damage the Iraqi-Iranian relations and the reputation of the Iranian-backed militias.

With its letter, GICJ attached articles which highlight the targeting of activists. Long before the assassinations began, names and photos of those recently assassinated were published. The activists were said to be pawns in an American scheme to gain political influence in the region and undermine the Iraqi-Iranian relations.

Besides the assassinations, countless activists have been abducted and subjected to torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. The whereabouts of many of these activists remain unclear.

GICJ emphasizes that impunity and utter lack of accountability perpetuate these grave human rights violations, which are further exacerbated by the absence of an independent judicial system. Riddled with corruption and overwhelmed by the systematic interference of the government and the militias, the judicial system is rendered helpless in providing legal assistance to the victims. For example, long before her assassination, the activist, Dr. Reham Yacoub, informed the police of countless threats as well as attacks on her car, only to be turned away and not taken seriously. She was assassinated on 19 August 2020.

Forced to live with the harsh reality that they may be the next victim, each day is plagued by fear and uncertainty. Iraqi activists and human rights defenders risk their lives every day to exercise their fundamental rights.

GICJ urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to take immediate action and bring these issues to the attention of the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. GICJ, together with numerous other organizations, has repeatedly drawn the attention of the Human Rights bodies to these issues. Unfortunately, despite these repeated appeals, the HRC and the special procedures have failed to take concrete action regarding the continuing grave violations, such as summary executions, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and the recent assassinations.

That same day, GICJ sent an urgent appeal to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of UNAMI, outlining the deep outrage and fury of the activists, journalists, and human rights defenders at the UNs failure to take concrete, tangible action to protect them from the ever increasing crimes of the militias and security forces. GICJ explicitly called for the UN to publicly scrutinize the politicians, particularly members of Parliaments, who have repeatedly attacked the activists. GICJ reiterated its call for the Special Representative to immediately raise this urgent appeal to the Security Council and urged the Special Representative to encourage the special mandate holders to take the necessary actions within their competencies, especially the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, the Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions and Extrajudicial Killings, and the Special Rapporteur on Peaceful Assembly.

GICJ firmly believes that a special discussion at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council would be a suitable setting to address these systematic and grave human rights violations. GICJ hopes, that the High Commissioner will use her Office to help realize this crucial and much needed discussion.

List of Assassinations and Assassination Attempts

Tahsin Osama al-Shahmani This 30 year old activist was shot 21 times in the afternoon of August 14, 2020, at his workplace in al-Baho Street in al-Juniyah district in Basra governorate.	Wissam al-Dhahabi This media activist in his 40s was a victim of an assassination attempt and was injured from a gunfire at dawn of August 15, 2020, near his home in Nasiriyah in Dhi War governorate.	Ali Salman al-Jabri This activist in his 20s was a victim of a failed assassination attempt on August 16, 2020, in Nasriyah in Dhi Sar governorate.
Lodia Raymond Estimated to be in her late 20s/early 30s, she was a victim of a failed assassination attempt, in the afternoon of August 17, 2020, in a car in Kut al-Hajjaj in Basra. She was in the car with Abbas Sobhi and Fahad al-Zubaidi. Lodia Raymond was injured from the gunfire.	Fahad al-Zubaidi Estimated to be in his late 20s/early 30s, he was a victim of a failed assassination attempt in the afternoon of August 17, 2020, in a car in Kut al-Hajjaj in Basra. He was with his friends, Abbas Sobhi and Lodia Raymond, when gunfire was shot at their car. Al-Zubaidi was not injured.	Ruqia al-Dosari This activist and engineer , estimated to be in her 20s, was a victim of a failed assassination attempt in the evening of August 17, 2020, in central Basra.
Saif Ali This photo acivist in his 20s was abducted after receiving several threats from unknown accounts on social media, on August 18, 2020, in Basra governorate.	Mohsen al-Zaidi He was a victim of a failed assassination attempt at dawn on August 19, 2020, in Sumer Neighborhood in Nasiriyah in Dhi War governorate. An explosion in al-Zaidi’s house caused severe damage to the house and his car.	Ayoub al-Khazraji This media activist was a victim of a failed attempt of assassination, on August 19, 2020, in his home in Baghdad.
Intisar Obadi This 32 year old activist and paramedic was shot by gunmen on a motorcycle in the evening of August 19, 2020, in Tahrir Square in Baghdad. She was shot twice in the abdominal area. The demonstrators took her to the hospital, but her health remains unstable.	Yasser Kazim This activist, estimated to be in his 20s, was assassinated on August 17, 2020 near his house, close to Tahrir Square in Baghdad. He was also attacked two weeks before his death.	Dr. Reham Yacoub This 29 year old anti-governmental activist and nutritionist was assassinated in the evening of August 19, 2020, in her car in al-Rida neighborhood in Basra governorate. She was killed, together with her friend in the car, and two others were injured.
Hashim al-Jubouri He was a victim of a failed assassination attempt in the evening of August 19, 2020 in his car in Baghdad. Gunfire was shot at his car, but al-Jubouri tweeted that he defended himself and survived the attempt of assassination.	Zidoon Emad Estimated to be in his mid-20s, he was a victim of a failed assassination attempt, in the evening of August 19, 2020, in his car in al-Saadoun Street in Baghdad. This was not the first attempted assassination of this activist.	Dr. Adnan al-Kahar He was a victim of a failed assassination attempt in the late night of August 20, 2020, in al-Qassem district in Babil governorate. He survived the assassination attempt together with the activists, Mohammaed Jaber and Dr. Mohammed al-Monsury, after being chased by armed men, who shot at their vehicle.
Mohammed Jaber He was a victim of a failed assassination attempt in the late night of August 20, 2020, in al-Qassem district in Babil governorate. He was together with Adnan al-Kahar and Dr. Mohammed al-Monsury, when they were chased by armed men.	Dr. Mohammed al-Monsury He was a victim of a failed assassination attempt in the late night of August 20, 2020, in al-Qassem district in Babil governorate. He was with the activists Mohamed Jaber and Dr. Adnan al-Kahar, when they fled from gunshots fired at them.	Dr. Hala al-Shammari She was a victim of a failed assassination attempt on August 20, 2020, in Tahrir Square in Baghdad. She was subjected to an assassination attempt upon her return from the funeral of Dr. Reham Yacoub.
	Abbas Sobhi In his late 20s/early 30s, he was a victim of a failed assassination attempt on August 17, 2020, in a car in Kut al-Hajjaj in Basra. He was together with activists Fahad al-Zubaidi and Lodia Raymond, when 15 bullets were shot at their car. He was severely injured, but survived.

Read in French here.

GICJ on Iraqi Activists:

GICJ Appeals for International Investigation into the Violations of Human Rights during the Demonstrations in Iraq	GICJ Appeals for Iraq to Respect the People's Demands	Geneva International Centre for Justice Appeals to Stop Grave Violations Against Demonstrators in Iraq	Press release: GICJ reiterates warnings of any violation against demonstrators in Iraq

Justice, Human rights, Geneva, geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre For Justice