The Peace and Freedom Organization, based in Erbil, has issued a new report monitoring the work of civil society organizations and the impact on freedom of expression during the time of the COVID pandemic. The report has been translated into three languages: Arabic, Kurdish and English. Below are listed some key conclusions and recommendations relating […]
IRAQ, LEGACY OF TERROR: THE PLIGHT OF YEZIDI CHILD SURVIVORS OF ISIS.. NEW REPORT FROM AMNESTY
AMNESTY Between 2014 and 2017 the armed group calling itself the Islamic State (IS) committed war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Yezidi community in Iraq. A UN Commission of Inquiry concluded in 2015 that IS committed acts against the Yezidi community that amount to genocide. Yezidi children were abducted by IS and enslaved, […]
Six Years After Yazidi Massacre, US Urged to Take ‘Bolder Action’
Al-Monitor Iraq’s Yazidis say the threat from the Islamic State and other extremist groups is preventing them from returning home. The United States must take “bolder action” to address threats posed to the Yazidis, a US religious freedom official said Monday, as Iraq’s long-persecuted minority marked the sixth anniversary of the terrorist rampage on their homeland. “The US government […]
A Statement by Kurdistan Social Forum Calling to Release Zara Mohammadi
The Iranian state needs to be pressured to guarantee freedom of expression. Zara Muhamadi a Kurdish well-known civil activist has been arrested by the Iranian authority and sentenced by the Iranian Islamic revolutionary court for 10 years. The only reason, She was a volunteer Kurdish teacher, teaching Kurdish language voluntarily and distributing some sweets on […]
Invitation to Sign the Petition: Demanding Justice for Husham Alhashimi
This is an effort by activists, and supporters demanding justice for the brutal murder of Husham Alhashimi and the persistent killings of many innocent lives across Iraq. – We call on a full investigation of the assassination of Husham Alhashimi, We call on a thorough and transparent selection process of the persons assigned to investigate. […]
German Art Curator Kidnapped in Iraq
Rights activist and art curator Hella Mewis was kidnapped outside her office in Baghdad by unidentified men. The incident is the latest in a series of abductions of anti-government activists. DW / adi/rc (AFP, dpa) A German national was kidnapped on Monday night by unidentified militants in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, rights activists said. Hella Mewis, […]
The Rights of Workers and Employees During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Iraqi Observatory of Worker and Employee Rights, Report 1 (2020) The first report issued by the Iraqi Observatory of Worker and Employee Rights monitored the period from 1 – 31 May 2020 in order to assess the status of workers’ rights given the strained economic conditions in Iraq. Because there is no clear economic vision […]
Diyala: The Everlasting Battlefield of Iraq
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Zaid Salem – Baghdad The security crisis is getting complicated in Diyala governorate in eastern Iraq. In Diyala, there are many challenges between clan conflicts due to the ansence of law. Additionally, there are many terrorist attacks by “ISIS” on towns and villages that are not fully secured by Iraqi forces. According to […]
Un Ponte Per has recently started an ambitious new 2-year project in Southern Iraq, funded by UNDP. Sumereen: Sumerian Youth for Economic Development and Cultural Heritage aims to create employment opportunities for youth in Dhi Qar, drawing on the cultural and natural heritage of the Governorate. Communities there have been struggling to make a living […]
NEW REPORT AND WEBTOOL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO IRAQ’S LOOMING WATER CRISIS: IOM AND DELTARES
IOM Iraq Iraq faces a complex water crisis that is expected to persist and might have implications at the humanitarian, socioeconomic, security and social levels, including population movements. In July 2019, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in Iraq identified 21,314 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the central and southern governorates who were displaced due […]
Following the Assassination of Dr. Al-Hashemi, We Will Not Allow the Truth to be Assassinated!
A Statement from the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative’s Freedom of Speech Path and Civil Society Organizations The government must find and bring the criminals responsible to justice, it must put an end to the unregulated use of weapons and protect the civil liberties of all Iraqis. With great sorrow and grief, we, the Iraqi […]
New Arab Baghdad – Bara al-Shammari The assassination of the Iraqi security expert and researcher, Hisham Al-Hashemi, by gunmen in Baghdad on Monday evening, 6 July 2020, prompted immediate local and international responses. These were accompanied by calls to put an end to the use of weapons outside state control and a firm commitment to […]