A Letter to Member States of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Baghdad, March 2020
A Letter to Member States of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Esteemed President of the Human Rights Council,
Esteemed Members of the Human Rights Council,
S/ Call for Special Session Concerning Events in Iraq during HRC44 session
We, the undersigned Iraqi civil society organizations demand Member States of the Human Rights Council hold a special session during its 44th session in June -July 2020 to address current events in Iraq, where gross violations against freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are taking place, where intimidation and revenge campaigns have been waged against peaceful demonstrators, human rights activists and journalists since the beginning of the protests on 1st October 2019. We believe conduct a special session is vital in order to condemn those violations, to push for immediate action to stop them, and to ensure justice and accountability.
According to Amnesty International’s January 2020 report, the death toll has now exceeded 600 and over 25,000 injured among the peaceful demonstrators, human rights activists and journalists, including children and women due to constant use of lethal force by security forces and militias.
Despite the overwhelmingly peaceful nature of the demonstrations, local CSOs including the signatories to this letter have observed the increasing use of the live ammunition by government security forces and militias, and have also verified the escalation of violence and repression against the protest movement; i.e. assassination, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest, torture, sexual assaults, threats, and attacking journalists and media channels for their coverage of the protests. All these events and practices are proceeding in an environment of total impunity.
In making this request, we also call to hold a special debate during ongoing HRC43 and we refer to the Human Rights Council’s resolutions 24/21 and 27/31 of 2013 and 2014 concerning the crucial importance of the active involvement of civil society, at all levels, to promote good governance, transparency and accountability, in order to build peaceful, prosperous and democratic societies.
Yours faithfully,
Signatories : please see annex page 2 – 3
1. Iam wasite organization for woman and child support
2. Women legal assistance organizations
3. Kurdish institute for elections KIE
4. Pay institute for education and development
5. kurdistan for Everyone for Developing Democracy
6. kurdish media watchdog organization
7. protection and development of Iraq family Association
8. Basmeh Iraqia Human Organization NGO
9. yaman founndation for Humanitarian Affairs
10. Eyzidi organiztation for documentation
11. peace and freedom organization PFO
12. Human Touch.org
13. Tawasoul organization for youth empowerment
14. Institution AL Hanan for develoment Humaneness
15. babelyit canter for women empowerment
16. AL-Edrak foundation for development and voluntary work
17. volunteer with us foundation for relief and development
18. let us create joy organization for development NGO
19. Iraq civic action network
20. Lets live peacefully foundation for peaceful coexistence
21. peace Generations iraqi network
22. awan organization for awareness and capability
23. tabanni foundation for active youth
24. the kurd faili organization for human rights
25. Anna alnazihien organization in myssan
26. Sawa organisation for Human Rights
27. the message organiztion for Human Rights
28. human rights protection and democracy development
29. Noor Al-Mujtaba Relief and Development Organization
30. Iraqi Women Network
31. Iraqi firdaws association
32. stichting (syrian)female journalists network ,netherlands
33. Feminist Studies Center
34. An initiative not to conquer women from Sudan
35. Democratic Women Organization
36. the best of women association for relief and development
37. peace track initiative
38. To Be foundation for rights and freedoms
39. iraqi womens rights
40. Iraqi Human Society
41. east center for development and media freedom
42. building foundation for training and development
43. al-haq foundation for human right
44. tammuz organization for social development
45. Al Mada Foundation for Human Rights
46. Al-Ataa Foundation for Relief and Human Development
47. Rawafid Organization FOR student and care
48. AL-tawasul wa AL-Ekha Human org
49. rama environmental protection org
50. endeavor organization for reconstruction and humanitarian services
51. south youth org
52. shakoufyan organization for development and culture
53. Our Organization for Woman and Child Culture
54. Hana Youth Awareness and Capacity Building
55. Civilized Dialogue Organization for Development
56. Assiwar org
57. Al Mada Cultural Foundation
58. Institution center for research and development
59. Iraqi social forum
60. bent al rafidain Organization (BROB)
61. Youth without borders for development and relief
62. christian peacemaker teams
63. Women for peace
64. iraqi institute for human rights
65. wasel tasel
66. aman org for women
67. sabaa center for studies and human development
68. al-nahrain foundation for supporting transparency&integrity
69. uruk human rights org
70. sama al-ebtikar foundation for sustainable development
71. ana maysan for human rights organization ngo
72. womens human rights center
73. anbaruna organization for development and reconstruction
74. al teeba organization and development (TORD)
75. Islamic association of iraqi women
76. nawars al_khair Humanitarian organization
77. Alind organization for youth Democracy
78. woman rights center in samawah
79. humanitarian charity org
80. Iraqi womens league
81. skilled iraqi woman foundation
82. Walat Cultural Association
83. Green Oasis Organization
84. women s rights center for relief &develoment
85. Al Mawaddah Organization for Human Rights
86. prejudiced women league
87. Venus Iraqi Women Organization
88. BOFD for friendship and development
89. Etana Women organizaion
90. for her organization for woman issues advacate
91. vera humanitarian instition for woman s development
92. nisaa arafidain for culture and traning
93. Developmantals organisation Development and Relief
94. Brothered iraqi family society
95. Iraqi Al-Amal Association