Vicious tactics used against protesters and human rights defenders as death toll and arrests multiply

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The Iraqigovernment has stepped up its violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators,including human rights defenders and other activists, as the campaign of mass arrestsand fatal attacks continues. Meanwhile, the Internet has been repeatedly shutdown, and a number of journalists and bloggers have received direct threatsordering them to refrain from covering peaceful demonstrations, which startedon 01 October 2019. The undersigned organisations call on the Iraqi authoritiesto immediately end violence and reprisals against protestors, and uphold the rightsto peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

In anattempt to break up peaceful sit-ins in the capital Baghdad, Basra and othercentral and southern Iraqi cities, security forces have used live bullets, teargas, and sound bombs against demonstrators. In addition, unidentified armedgroups have killed and abducted civil society activists.

The latestreliable reports from rights groups in Baghdad and Basra confirmed that since07 November, the authorities have been using heavy tear gas cannisters, smokegrenades and sound bombs for crowd control, followed by live ammunition totarget protesters, including high school and university students and otherunarmed citizens holding only the Iraqi flag. In Basra, the authorities usedshotguns to fire iron pellets against protesters. The authorities also burned protesters’tents and targeted medical teams in various cities. These violent actions resultedin large numbers of demonstrators being killed or injured across the country.

On 06November 2019, late at night, prominent writer and civil activist AmjadAl-Dahamat (pictured on the top right) was assassinated by an unidentifiedarmed group driving a black car without numbers using pistols with silencers.The murder took place just 500 metres from the Headquarters of the PoliceCommand in Al-Amarah city, after Al-Dahamat attended a meeting with the PoliceCommander together with several activists. Civilsociety activist Bassam Mehdi, who accompanied Al-Dahamat, was reportedto have been seriously injured in the armed attack.

Al-Dahamat,who is considered one of the most important leaders of the populardemonstrations in Maysan governorate, has trained thousands of young people inhis area on how to volunteer for civil work and contributed effectively to allthe protests that took place in the governorate. In one of his last publishedarticles, he stated, "It is up to the youth themselves. Yes, no one willgive you anything. You have to take it for yourself, beginning with yourslogans: ‘We want a homeland’, and ‘I came down to take my rights.’"

Also on thenight of 06 November 2019, physician Abbas Ali was killed in Baghdadwhen a member of the Riot Police Force, shot at him, and a bullet penetratedhis chest. The murder occurred near the Martyrs' Bridge in Baghdad as he tried to reach wounded demonstratorsin this area to give them urgent treatment. He was taken to hospital by TukTuks drivers, who have been hailed as heroes for using their vehicles asambulances, but he died on the road. A video has emerged showing his colleagues raising hisstained white medical jacket and offering respect for his dedication to thework.

On theevening of 07 November 2019, a member of the security forces in civilianclothes abducted journalist and civil society activist Ali Hashim andtook him to an unknown destination. Hashim participated actively in thedemonstrations of Tahrir Square in Baghdad and published several photos on hisFacebook account about his participation in peaceful demonstrations. Heparticipated in previous protests and was arrested and tortured after takingpart in the 2015 demonstrations.

Also, on 07November 2019, civil society activist Hussain Al-Kaabi was arrested bysecurity forces at a protest in the Al-Rifai district in Dhi Qar Governorate,for leading protests, and inviting citizens to participate.

On 02November 2019, civil society activist and paramedic Saba Al-Mahdawi(pictured on the top left) was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on her way homefrom Tahrir Square in Baghdad. Reliable reports confirmed that she waskidnapped before arriving home, and there was no contact with her after 11:15pm. Al-Mahdawi, who works for a private sector company, volunteered as aparamedic in Tahrir Square to help wounded protesters.

A monthbefore, on 07 October 2019, at 7:15 pm, civilian activist and physician MaythamMohammed Al-Helo was kidnapped as he left his clinic in the fourth policedistrict, west of Baghdad, by an undefined armed group in a four-wheel drivevehicle with tinted windows, who took him to an unknown destination. He was only released on 24 October 2019.

Also, on 07 October 2019, humanrights lawyer Ali Jaseb Hattab was kidnappedin the city of Al-Amarah in Maysan Governorate, southern Iraq, by a group ofarmed men who surrounded his private car, removed him by force and took him toan unknown destination.

There havebeen credible reports that several other civil society activists in Baghdad andthe rest of the cities where protests are happening have been kidnapped byunknown armed groups. In addition, a number of releasedhuman rights defenders and activists confirmed that they were subjected totorture and severe beatings and forced to sign pledges not to participate inpeaceful demonstrations.

We the undersigned strongly protest the arbitrary measures taken by theIraqi authorities to summon some demonstrators under the Anti-Terrorism Law, inaddition to threats made to dismiss state employees from their jobs or suspendstudents for participating in demonstrations.

Preliminarystatistics indicate that around 300 protesters have been killed and 14,000injured since 01 October 2019, when popular protests began, up until 08 November2019, that were caused solely due to the use of excessive force by securityforces, riot police and armed groups against peaceful demonstrators.

Reliablesources reported that, on some occasions, Forensic Medical Departments invarious areas, including Karbala, have refused to hand over the bodies ofprotesters unless their families signed a declaration that the government isnot responsible for the killing. Families who did not sign have yet to receive thebodies of their loved ones.

Last week,the authorities completely shut down the Internet starting in the afternoon on05 November 2019 and returned it on 07 November 2019 forjust one hour. The Internet has been repeatedly cut off for long periods oftime during recent days in an effort to prevent journalists and human rightsorganisations from circulating news of violations and the grave acts committedby the authorities against civilians in sit-ins in various parts of the country.The blockage also prevents protesters from communicating with each other andorganising protests and peaceful movements. Social networking sites have beenmostly blocked for 45 days since the beginning of the protests.

Broadcastmedia have been affected as well. In addition, broadcast media have beenattacked. On 05 October, armed groups stormed satellite TV Channels, Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath, Dijlah and NRT Arabic.

Localsources confirmed that security forces used expired tear gas and heavierteargas cannisters not normally used for crowd control against demonstrators, inaddition to firing directly and deliberately at the heads of demonstrators withheavy teargas cannisters and smoke grenades, maiming or killing themimmediately. Based on testimonies from the field, some of the cannisterscontain unusual gases which leave protesters breathless and losingconsciousness, in need of intensive medical treatment.

Theundersigned organisations strongly condemn the excessive use of force by theIraqi authorities, including live bullets, expired tear gas or smoke grenadesagainst peaceful people, and demand that they cease all violence immediatelyand protect peaceful demonstrators throughout the country in a transparent andserious manner. The Iraqi authorities must uphold the country’s internationalobligation to protect the right to life of its citizens, among other humanrights, including by addressing the recommendations of Iraq’s UniversalPeriodic Review (UPR), which took place at the United Nations on 11 November2019.

The undersigned organisations call upon theIraqi government to immediately and unconditionally:

1. Fulfill its international obligations to protect human rights, through the UPR and other mechanisms, in particular to respect the civil and human rights of all citizens of Iraq, including by protecting their right to peaceful demonstration throughout the country;
2. Conduct independent, impartial, thorough and prompt investigations into lethal force used against demonstrators, resulting in over 300 deaths, with a view to disseminating the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
3. Release all peaceful protesters who have been detained, including those who have been kidnapped by armed groups;
4. Respect and protect the right of all the citizens of Iraq to access the Internet and information on and offline, which should be considered the most basic human rights; and
5. Ensure that all human rights defenders, journalists and bloggers in Iraq are able to operate without restrictions, including judicial harassment.

Signatories:

Access Now

Arabic Networkfor Human Rights Information (ANHRI)

Article 19

Cairo Institutefor Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
Ceasefire Centre for Civil Rights

CIVICUS

Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
International Federation for Human Rights FIDH
International Media Support (IMS)
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

Iraqi Al-AmalAssociation

Iraqi Networkfor Social Media (INSM)

IraqiObservatory for Human Rights (IOHR)

Iraqi Women Network

Metro Centerfor Journalists' Rights and Advocacy

PEN Center in Iraq

PEN International World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT)