Tag: Unami

While acknowledging legal changes against torture, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said that “the authorities need to effectively implement the provisions written in the law in each and every detention centre”.  

“If not, they remain a dead letter”. 

Shocks and beatings 

Covering 1 July 2019 to 30 April this year, the report is based on interviews conducted with 235 detainees, along with prison staff, judges, lawyers and detainees’ families. 

“I experienced the worst days of my life”, one prisoner told UN staff who helped draw up the report. “As soon as I arrived, the officers beat me using metal pipes. The following days, they used two exposed electricity wires to electrocute me”. 

Another detainee said that “they cuffed my hands behind my back and hanged my handcuffs from a hook on a chain from the ceiling…they didn’t really ask me questions, they just kept shouting to confess”. 

The report, Human Rights in the Administration of Justice in Iraq: legal conditions and procedural safeguards to prevent torture, states that legal procedures designed to bring interrogations and detention under judicial control within 24 hours of the initial arrest, are not respected; and access to a lawyer is systematically delayed until after security forces interrogate suspects.  

“Eradicating torture will be one of the most effective tools to start to build public trust in the State’s ability to deliver justice and uphold the principle of fairness”, Ms Bachelet said. “However, when the authorities themselves break the law, it has the opposite effect”. 

Lack of trust 

The report also raises concerns that the authorities ignore signs of torture; complaints procedures appear to be neither fair or effective; and an apparent lack of accountability for these failures.  

“The fact that many detainees choose not to report such treatment due to lack of trust, or fear of reprisals, indicates their lack of trust in the system”, said the UN Human Rights Chief.  

“This needs to be addressed”, she added, pointing out that “specific recommendations on…

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ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The the head of the UN’s Iraq Assistance Mission (UNAMI), on Monday called again for the creation of a unified administration in the disputed district of Sinjar (Shingal) during an online event marking the seventh anniversary of the Yezidi (Ezidi) genocide, in which thousands were brutally murdered, kidnapped, and trafficked at the hands of ISIS.

“Years later, survivors, still face immense challenges, while they urgently need to rebuild their lives, unnecessary obstacles continue (…) on security arrangements, public service provision and unified, administration, and inability of parties and authorities to set aside differences for the greater good,” said Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert during an online event organized by the Yezidi rights organization Yazda and the Zovighian Partnership.

In October 2020, Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced they had reached an agreement, with support from the UN, to restore and normalize the situation in Shingal, where competing armed groups are active.

Read More: KRG and Baghdad reach administrative, security agreement on Sinjar

Notably, the agreement includes a framework to withdraw all armed groups from the area, restore the local administration, and appoint a new mayor. So far, however, these steps have not been taken. 

Despite the agreement’s strong international backing, multiple armed groups remain, making the administrative piece of the agreement, to some degree, a moot point.

After a field visit to SInjar in January, Hennis-Plasschaert called for the stalled deal’s implementation, but there has been little clear progress since.

According to the envoy, Baghdad and Erbil “took an important step in the right direction, laying the groundwork for stability, improved safety and better living conditions,” but “progress has been unacceptably slow in improving governments and unifying administrations. And the harsh reality is that these roadblocks are holding progress hostage with…

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ANI | Updated: Jul 27, 2021 04:51 IST

Washington [US], July 27 (ANI): There will be no US forces with a combat role in Iraq by December 31, 2021, the US and Iraqi governments said in a joint statement following the strategic dialogue held in Washington on Monday (local time).
The delegations include – Iraq’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Fuad Hussein and the US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken. They co-chaired the final session of the Strategic Dialogue, initiated on June 11, 2020, in accordance with the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement for a Relationship of Friendship and Cooperation between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq (SFA), according to a statement issued by US Department of State on Monday (local time).
The Iraqi delegation also included representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The joint statement said that the two countries reaffirmed the importance of these discussions, which focused on strengthening the long-term strategic partnership defined by the SFA and on key issues of mutual concern: regional stability, public health, climate change, energy efficiency, energy independence, humanitarian aid, human rights, economic cooperation, and cultural and educational exchanges, among other issues.
Iraq provided a detailed accounting of its efforts to promote the safe and voluntary return of internally displaced persons to their home regions, and the United States pledged its continued support in this regard.
The two delegations reaffirmed the principles agreed upon in the SFA. The United States reaffirmed its respect for Iraq’s sovereignty and laws and pledged to continue providing the resources Iraq needs to preserve its territorial integrity.
The Government of Iraq reaffirmed its commitment to protect Coalition personnel advising and enabling the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and reasserted its position that all Coalition Forces are in Iraq at its invitation.

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SHERIFF’S SALE By virtue of an alias writ of execution directed to the Sheriff of Atlantic County, issued out of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Atlantic County, DOCKET NO.: F-014179-19 will be sold at public venue at,The Criminal Court Complex, 4997 Unami Blvd., Mays Landing, NJ 08330 on THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2021, AT 12:00 O’CLOCK in the Criminal Court Complex, 4997 Unami Blvd., Mays Landing, NJ 08330. Property to be sold is located in the CITY OF PLEASANTVILLE, County of ATLANTIC, State of New Jersey PREMISES COMMONLY KNOWN AS: 24 EAST READING AVENUE, PLEASANT-VILLE, NJ 082324428 BEING KNOWN AS LOT 5, BLOCK 277 on the official Tax Map of the CITY of PLEASANTVILLE DIMENSIONS: 91.05FTX46FTX91.21FT X46FT NEAREST CROSS STREET: FRANIDIN AVENUE The concise legal description found in this advertisement does not consti-tute a full legal description of the premises, a full legal description of the premises can be found in the Office of The Sheriff of Atlantic County. The Sheriff hereby reserves the right to adjourn this sale without further notice by publication. *Subject to any unpaid taxes, municipal liens or other charges, and any such taxes, charges, liens, insurance premiums or other advances made by plaintiff prior to this sale. All interested parties are to conduct and rely upon their own inde-pendent investigation to ascertain whether or not any outstanding interest remain of record and/or have priority over the lien being foreclosed and, if so the current amount due thereon. “If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Surplus Money: If after the sale and satisfaction of the mortgage debt including costs and…

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ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Office of the Coordinator for International Advocacy on Thursday responded to the latest statements by the United Nations and European Union Mission in the Kurdistan Region with regards to a recent appellate court decision on five detainees.

Follow-up Statement on EU Mission and UNAMI on the Decision of the Criminal Court of Erbil

On February 16, 2021, the Criminal Court of Erbil sentenced five detainees to six years each in jail. After the legal papers were subjected to appeal, the Appellate Court of Erbil upheld the decision of the Criminal Court on May 6, leaving a space for a final court appeal. On June 27, the highest judiciary filter upheld the decision.

KRG has flourished with bedrock values that are essential for consolidating coherent democratic institutions, a thriving civil society, and efficient legislation and policy-making strategies that strictly adhere to rule of law and the preservation of essential freedoms.

The court is independent of the government and apolitical.

The Kurdistan Regional Government does not and will not interfere with legal processes. We call on the foreign and domestic entities to respect the court’s decisions and heed the impartiality of the judicial process.

The Criminal Court transferred the case papers of these five persons to the Appellate Court, which retained the discretion to reverse or alter the convictions inferred by other courts. The Appellate Court has now upheld the decision of the Criminal Court in two judicial stages. The rulings of the Appellate Court are binding.

KRG believes that free media is important for its own sake and is an essential element in a well-functioning democracy. KRG has a vibrant media, and Kurdistan has long been recognized as a regional exemplar of freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

KRG has requested…

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RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministerial council called on Iraq and the UN Wednesday to complete the demarcation of maritime border with Kuwait after the marker 162. In its final statement of the 148th session hosted by Riyadh, the council renewed its support to Security Council resolution no. 2017 of 2013 regarding referring the issues of Kuwaiti missing persons, properties and archives to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The council said that it looks forward to Iraq’s continued cooperation to guarantee progress in these dossiers.

GCC member states agreed on Wednesday that common challenges lie ahead some four decades after the bloc’s inception, highlighting the countries’ “intertwined fates”. The GCC has “risen to prominence” given its growing contributions towards global peace and security, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani said as he chaired bloc-wide talks on a foreign ministerial level with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nasser Al-Sabah among the participants.

He chronicled the bloc’s most notable accomplishments, saying member states should not “rest on their laurels” but strive for greater achievements that would help bring common aspirations to fruition. On the bloc’s primary concerns, he said the Palestinian issue takes precedence over other matters, emphasizing the ultimate goal of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He recalled a gathering of GCC leaders in the historic Saudi city of Al-Ula earlier this year, which yielded a resolution to a dispute between Qatar and Gulf states, hailing the event as a “significant show of Gulf solidarity and unity”. The Bahraini foreign minister shored up support for a Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi group, saying the bloc supports all measures Riyadh takes to preserve its security and stability in the face…

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Baghdad, 9 June 2021 – The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, briefed today in Baghdad representatives of the diplomatic missions accredited to Iraq, on the latest Security Council resolution concerning Iraq and the correspondingly enhanced mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

In its resolution 2576 (2021) adopted on 27 May, the Security Council commended the Government of Iraq’s efforts to plan and execute genuinely free and fair early elections that are credible, participatory and inclusive, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women. The resolution also welcomed the government’s request for further UN electoral advice, support, and technical assistance in this regard.

UNAMI already provides comprehensive technical assistance and advice to IHEC on election management, legal and regulatory frameworks, training and procedures, Covid preparedness, procurement, logistics, information and communication technology, field-level coordination, communications and outreach, gender policies, and election security planning at the HQ and governorate levels. “With more than 70 UN electoral staff currently deployed throughout the country, the aim is to strengthen Iraq’s electoral capacities and promote transparency, thereby rebuilding trust in Iraq’s electoral institutions and processes”, SRSG Hennis-Plasschaert clarified.

Pursuant to the recently adopted Security Council resolution, UNAMI is now in the process of preparing for the phased deployment of additional UN teams on the ground in the lead up to, and on election day. The SRSG invited the international community to support this initiative so as to ensure that sufficient UN electoral staff can indeed be deployed.

“Positively responding to the request of the Government of Iraq, the Security Council decided to endorse a strengthened, robust and visible UN team, with additional staff, in advance of Iraq’s forthcoming election, to monitor Iraq’s election day with as broad a geographic coverage as possible,…

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Muslim Brotherhood’s true colors on display as Arab Islamist party joins Jewish nationalists in Israeli coalition

DUBAI: To govern is to choose, they say. Mansour Abbas, leader of Israel’s United Arab List, is likely to face a few difficult decisions over the coming weeks and months if, as seems likely, he and his party form part of a new governing coalition in Israel.

Late on Wednesday, it was announced that Abbas had agreed to join a coalition jointly led by Yair Lapid, of the centrist Yesh Atid party, and Naftali Bennett of the right-wing Yemina. The irony of an Islamist political party eagerly closing ranks with Yemina, an alliance of Jewish nationalist parties, has not been lost on Palestinians or the wider Arab world.

Analysts see the development as yet another example of a Muslim Brotherhood-inspired party putting power and self-interest above principles when it comes to the crunch.

The head of the Arab Israeli Islamic conservative party Raam Mansour Abbas (R) signing a coalition agreement with Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid (L) and right-wing nationalist tech millionaire Naftali Bennett in Ramat Gan near the coastal city of Tel Aviv. (AFP/File Photo)

“The news was not surprising. Brotherhood affiliates have always used all means to achieve their political goals,” Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri, a political analyst and international relations scholar, told Arab News.

“This cooperation is just another episode in a long-running drama that will continue to demonstrate the extent and willingness of the Muslim Brotherhood to cooperate with anyone except the governments of their own countries.”

Whether the marriage of convenience will last long enough is another matter. If approved in the Knesset, the coalition will bring an end to the 12-year premiership of Benjamin Netanyahu….

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ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has published a report on violations against Iraqi activists at the hands of “unidentified groups” over the past two years throughout the country that include assassinations, kidnappings, and torture.

The report, entitled “Accountability for Human Rights Violations and Abuses by Unidentified Armed Elements,” includes testimonies of victims’ families, a wide range of information surrounding large numbers of violent acts against those organizing and participating in a popular protest movement decrying institutional corruption, poor services, and a low standard of living.

Between Oct. 2019 and May 15, 2021, read the report, “UNAMI documented 48 incidents of attempted or completed targeted killings of protestors and critics” as part of incidents largely blamed on Iranian-backed militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) that wield considerable military and political power in Iraq. 

The report, in its own words, “focuses on the steps taken by the Iraqi authorities to ensure accountability for human rights violations and abuses linked to these demonstrations, in particular those attributed to ‘unidentified armed elements’ frequently referred to by victims and witnesses as ‘militia.'”

UNAMI “defines ‘unidentified armed elements’ as armed actors not clearly identifiable as regular state security forces,” though “may have various links to the state and/or political parties. The term ‘militia,’ it says, is “terminology commonly used in Iraq to describe armed groups operating outside state control.”

Taken together, these are clear and unambiguous references to PMF militias.

“Allow me to be frank with you,” said the father of one of the fallen victims to UN researchers. “We all know who the killers are, but do you think the authorities dare to mention their names? The Government knows exactly who the killers are, and they are affiliated to the political parties and the ‘militia.’…

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A little over a fortnight ago, Karim Khan, the lawyer heading the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability against ISIS (Unitad), gave his final briefing in that capacity to the UN Security Council. He said there was “clear and compelling evidence” that between 2014 and 2017 ISIS committed genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq.

No one knows exactly how many ISIS members are currently housed in Iraq’s overcrowded prison system, but a low estimate is somewhere in the thousands. No one knows how many have been tortured or sentenced to death, but the figures are thought to be high. And no one knows how many have actually been executed, either – Iraq does not publish records.

The ambiguity might be slightly easier to accept if it were certain that every convict were guilty, and that those slated for death row were killers themselves. It’s true that ISIS was hardly ambiguous in its intention to torture, enslave and wipe out whole sections of Iraq’s population. Due legal process didn’t come into it for them. That Iraq and other countries are disinclined to apply due process in return now that their terrorisers are themselves in the dock is, perhaps, understandable.

But the way in which Iraq and the dozens of countries from which foreign ISIS fighters hail have pursued the course of justice over the past few years has created a mess. Moreover, it risks damaging prospects for a real resolution to the years of suffering ISIS caused, and extending the terrorist group’s longevity.

The burden of dealing with ISIS should never have fallen so heavily on Iraq in the first place. Although thousands of Iraqi citizens joined ISIS, as many as 40,000 fighters were foreign, including several thousand from Europe.

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