Peaceful Assembly
Human Rights Watch reported that on 2nd September 2023, Iraqi security forces opened fire on protesters in Kirkuk, killing at least 4 people and injuring 16. The violence comes amid months of increasing tensions between Kirkuk’s Kurdish, Arab and Turkmen populations.
The ethnic tensions centre around the previous headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the largest party in the Kurdistan Regional Government. The building has been occupied by federal Iraqi security forces since 2017, when federal forces seized Kirkuk in response to the Kurdish independence referendum. The recent unrest was promopted by Prime Minister al-Sudani’s order to return the building to the KDP on 1st September 2023 under an agreement made with the Kurdistan Regional Government when al-Sudani formed his government in October 2022.
Expression
On 31st October 2023, Iraqi human rights groups who have been campaigning to increase public awareness of serious human rights violations stipulated in Iraq’s Draft Law of Freedom of Expression and Peaceful Assembly launched a policy paper on the law with recommendations to the government which has been well-received. The recommendations were compiled following extensive consultations in different cities with a broad-based group of participants including local NGOs, independent activists and human rights defenders, media, the Human Rights Commission and Members of the Iraqi Parliament.
The Policy Paper was prepared by the campaign partners – SAMA Organisation for Psychological and Social Support and Al-Nidal Association for Human Rights – as a subgrant which was part of a project with the Innovation for Change MENA Hub in partnership with the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR).
Association
On 26th October 2023, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (“GCHR”) reported that several Iraqi human rights groups have issued a Position Paper on “Climate Change and Environmental Activity in Iraq for the Climate Prospects Campaign”, following consultations with policy-makers, community leaders and environmental experts in September and October 2023. The Position Paper makes recommendations to the authorities to protect the rights of environmental activists and peaceful protesters to publicise and campaign against the issue of climate-induced forced displacement, while encouraging Iraqi authorities to support the rights to freedom of expression and assembly. The report follows a widespread social media campaign to raise public awareness of the issues.
Iraq’s environmental crisis has led to nation-wide protests, including 2018 protests in Basra against water shortages and, more recently, 2023 protests in Dhi Qar against unwarranted violence and excessive use of force against those raising awareness of droughts and mismanagement that have contributed to water scarcity in the region.