Authorities must immediately end the use of lethal force against protesters and stop targeting activists, journalists and the media
We, the undersigned human rights organisations, call on the Iraqi governmentto immediately cease the use of lethal and excessive force against protesters. Aspeaceful demonstrations continue throughout central and southern Iraq, securityforces, particularly the riot police, have used lethal force to disperse protestersin Baghdad, Basra, Nasiriyah, and Najaf. In addition, activists and journalistshave been abducted, arbitrarily arrested and murdered in order to prevent themfrom participating in or covering these demonstrations. In order to enforcecontrol over the media, the Communications andMedia Commission ordered several TV channels and radio stations to beclosed, and warned other channels to be cautious in their reporting.
Use of LethalForce
Security forces continue to fire livebullets during protests throughout the country, particularly in Baghdad, Basra,Nasiriyah, and Najaf, where a large number of peaceful demonstrators have beenkilled and injured. Reliable local sources have confirmed the use ofanti-aircraft weapons against demonstrators in Basra governorate.
On 28 November 2019, the Iraqi armyreportedly deployed tanks and armored vehicles in the centre of Najaf, as wellas security forces who reinforced their presence near the demonstration areasusing live ammunition and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, killing 12demonstrators and wounding 70 others. Demonstrations resumed despite a curfewimposed by the authorities on 27 November.
In Baghdad, on 27 November 2019, securityforces used live bullets and tear gas in their attack on protesters at Al-AhrarBridge in the city centre, killing two of them and wounding at least 25 others.
The local government in Basra continues touse live bullets against demonstrators and make arbitrary arrests throughoutthe area. Demonstrations continue at Majnoon oil field, Umm Qasr port, and therest of the Governorate, which resulted in the deaths of five people and theinjury of more than 100 peaceful demonstrators. Their demands are similar totheir peers in other cities: the resignation of the government, an end tocorruption, and social justice and respect for public freedoms.
The city of Nassiriyah (pictured above)witnessed on 28 November 2019 a bloody night, where 33 peaceful demonstratorswere killed and about 125 others were injured after security forces used livebullets heavily to disperse the demonstrations in Al-Haboubi Square in the citycentre and surrounding areas. This came a day after the Iraqi government formeda crisis cell led by Lieutenant General Jamil Al-Shammari, but he was almostimmediately dismissed after theuse of excessive force by the forces under his command againstdemonstrators in the city centre.
Targeting Civil Society Activists
On 01 November, civil society activist MajidAl-Zubaidi survived an assassination attempt in front of his house in Al-Amara,the capital of Maysan province. He escaped with injuries to his abdomen afterbeing fired at by unidentified men in a white car with no plates.
On 23November 2019, in Al-Amara, human rights defender Jawad Al-Harishawi wasshot at by gunmen in civilian clothes in a white car with no numbers.Al-Harishawi, who survived the incident, is an activist known for his activeparticipation in and ongoing coverage of the demonstrations.
On01 December 2019, civil societyactivist Samir Al-Faraj was released after being arrested fromhis home in Al-Ramadi by security forces early on 27 October 2019. He wasarrested after posting a call on his Facebook page for civil disobedience andsolidarity with the demonstrators in Baghdad's Tahrir Square. Young supportersof protests in Al-Anbar Governorate are also being arrested or threatened witharrest by officials in the area.
Meanwhile,several other civil society activists have been released after being kidnappedin Baghdad. On 13 November, two activists were released - Saba Al-Mahdawi,who was held for 11 days, and Ali Hashim, who was held for six days, andwhose personal phones were confiscated. On 22 November 2019, Ahmed BaqerBukli was released after six days. Local reports confirmed that theabduction of the activists was carried out by government security agencies incooperation with armed groups.
On 19 November 2019, civil societyactivist Hussain Al-Kaabi was released after he was arrested on 07November by security forces at a protest in the Al-Rifai district in Dhi QarGovernorate, for leading protests, and inviting citizens to participate.
However, human rights lawyer Ali JasebHattab is still being held after being kidnapped on 07 October 2019 in thecity of Amara by an armed group that is known to the security forces in theGovernorate.
Targeting Journalists and the Media
On 26 November 2019, Alaa Al-Shammari,a reporter of Dijla Satellite in the city of Najaf was severely beaten by riotpolice using batons. On the same day, riot police attacked otherrepresentatives of Dijla TV in Samawah, the centre of Al-Muthanna governorate,Photographer Mustafa Al-Rikabi was seriously injured in the head whilehe was covering a student demonstration in the centre of the city that wasintended to close the governorate's education directorate.
On 21 November 2019, the Communications and Media Commission, which is the governmental regulatory bodyfor media in Iraq, issued a letter number 114 S, which orders the closure of thefollowing channels for three months: Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath, NRT, ANB, Dijlah,Al-Sharqiya, Al-Fallujah, Al-Rasheed, and Hona Baghdad, in addition toextending the closure of Al-Hurra for another three months.
The Commission threatened to take moredeterrent legal action in the case of "non-compliance with the charter ofthe broadcast media rules" without giving any details about the violationscommitted by these channels. Also, the letter itself issued an ultimatum to thefollowing channels: Al-Sumaria, Asia, Rudaw, Sky News Arabia, and Ur; andordered the closure of the following radio stations: Nas, Sawa, Al-Yaum,and Nawa. The statement did not address the reasons for all these arbitrarydecisions, which seriously threaten press freedom and freedom of expression inthe country. Reliable local sources have framed these decisions as a concertedpolicy being pursued by top authorities in Iraq to silence voices, detercritical opinions, and prevent coverage of ongoing peaceful demonstrations.
In a statement issued on 27 November 2019,Dijlah TV channel announced that it, "had been exposedon Thursday at midnight to a violation of its constitutionally-guaranteedrights by having its office in Baghdad closed and its private broadcastingequipment confiscated."
The Iraqi HighCommissioner for Human Rights (IHCHR), in a statement published on its officialFacebook page, announced "an increase in the useof excessive violence, which led to the deaths of many martyrs andwounded." The statement also mentioned the following figures of victimsamong the demonstrators on 26, 27 and 28 November 2019:
· Dhi Qar: 25demonstrators killed and 250 injured
· Baghdad: Twodemonstrators killed and 67 wounded, and 25 security personnel injured
· Muthanna: 308protesters and security forces injured, most of them among demonstrators basedon local reports
· Najaf: Fourdemonstrators killed and 354 wounded, and 50 security forces injured
Once again, the undersigned organisationscondemn in the strongest terms the excessive use of force by Iraqi securityforces, including firing live bullets, and call upon them to fulfill theirinternational obligations, as established by the Iraqi Constitution, to protectthe right of their citizens to life, as well as all other human rights, inparticular freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and freedom ofthe press. The Iraqi government should immediately and unconditionally ceaseall forms of violence and protect peaceful demonstrators throughout thecountry.
The Iraqi government should conductprompt, independent, impartial and thorough investigations into the killing ofprotesters, with a view to disseminating the results and bringing all thoseresponsible to justice in accordance with international standards.
In light of the gravity of thesituation, we also request the United Nations Human Rights Council to convene aspecial session to investigate human rights violations in Iraq and to take thenecessary measures to ensure that the Iraqi government stops using excessive force in all its forms againstpeaceful protesters and activists across the country.
Signatories:
Arabic Network for Human RightsInformation (ANHRI)
ARTICLE 19
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies(CIHRS)
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights
CIVICUS
Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
International Federation for Human Rights(FIDH)
Iraqi Al-Amal Association
IraqiNetwork for Social Media (INSM)
IraqiObservatory for Human Rights (IOHR)
Iraqi Women Network
PENCenter in Iraq
PENInternational
MetroCenter for Journalists' Rights and Advocacy
WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT)
