Amnesty International condemns continued persecution of Tishreen activists by Iraq authorities News
Provided to JURIST
Amnesty International condemns continued persecution of Tishreen activists by Iraq authorities

Amnesty International condemned Iraqi authorities on Tuesday for their continued persecution of activists and protesters six years after the nationwide Tishreen demonstrations. The organization also criticized the Iraqi authorities for failing to deliver meaningful justice for the killings of hundreds and disappearances of protesters by security forces and militias.

Amnesty said the persistent lack of credible investigations, prosecutions, and reparations has undermined prospects for truth and justice for victims and their families. This rights organization documented activists and their families facing relentless reprisals, including home raids, harassment and arrests, with some charges being punishable by death.

Iraq researcher at Amnesty International, Razaw Salihy, said:

It is abominable that six years after the Tishreen protests, Iraqi authorities remain busy hounding and intimidating activists and their families, while those behind the horrific killings, assassinations, and enforced disappearances remain at large. This obliterates prospects for justice, truth, and reparations for crimes under international law committed by security forces and affiliated militias during and after the protests

The Tishreen protests occurred in October 2019 and led to many young people being killed, injured, and forcibly disappeared, as well as the filing of at least 2700 criminal cases.

This comes just a year after Amnesty had published a report highlighting the failure of successive Iraqi governments to ensure justice, truth, and reparation for the lethal crackdown on the 2019 Tishreen protests. There have also been continued concerns about the human rights situation in Iraq. Iraqi authorities shut down news channel Iraq AlHadath earlier this year for covering sensitive topics. Amendments to the Iraqi personal status law earlier this year were criticized for failing to protect women’s rights. Human Rights Watch had also similarly issued a statement in October 2023 outlining cases of enforced disappearances linked to protests.

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