“General debate on the oral update by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and oral updates of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Nicaragua and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela"
Agenda Item 2: - Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General
Statement by: International-Lawyers.Org
15 September 2020
Thank you president.
We thank the High Commissioner for her update, in which she mentioned the attacks against human rights activists in Iraq.
On October 1, 2019, demonstrations erupted throughout Iraq and have persisted despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, demonstrators demanded an end to corruption and the fulfilment of basic needs. The demonstrations have subsequently evolved into a call for transition to a truly democratic and sustainable political system, free from sectarian influences and discrimination based on ethnic quotas.
From the outset, security forces responded to the peaceful protests with excessive force, live ammunition, and the indiscriminate and disproportionate use of less-lethal weapons.
It has been confirmed that the number of victims since October 2019 has totalled more than 800 protesters killed, more than 700 abducted, and more than 25,000 injured, of whom about 4,000 are permanently disabled.
Unfortunately, the Iraqi authorities have not taken any real action to combat these violations and hold the perpetrators accountable. Instead, governmental officials and many politicians, including members of Parliament, and the militias, are actively promoting the systematic targeting and increased acts of violence against activists and human rights defenders, in an attempt to discredit the victims and justify the attacks.
International lawyers and Geneva International Centre for Justice call on the Council to take the required measures to put an end to the grave human rights violations in Iraq.
Justice, Human rights, Geneva, geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre For Justice
