Human Rights and Democracy Report 2017 - Iraq

The principal human rights concerns in Iraq in 2017 were Daesh atrocities, the use of the death penalty, violations of the right to freedom of expression and of the right to freedom of religion or belief, and gender-based violence. Daesh was defeated territorially, but the Iraqi government must now stabilise liberated areas to the benefit of all Iraqis, ensuring that previous perceptions of inequality do not persist, and that violence does not resurface.

In 2017, the NGOs Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International continued to report allegations of Daesh atrocities, including abductions, sexual violence, torture, the use of human shields, and executions, particularly in Mosul. As more areas were liberated from Daesh, an increasing number of mass graves were discovered. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also reported allegations of sectarian atrocities and human rights abuses and violations committed by elements of the Iraqi Security Forces, Popular Mobilisation Forces, Federal Police, and Kurdish Peshmerga. Those allegations included torture, forced disappearances, and the destruction of houses and of civilian property. The UK lobbied the Iraqi government to prioritise civilian protection, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that all forces acted in accordance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law. We welcomed the Iraqi government's commitment to conduct full and transparent investigations into all alleged abuses and violations, and called on them to make the results public.

Although official figures on use of the death penalty are not made public, Amnesty International reported that Iraq executed 21 people in January, 42 in September and 38 in December. Those executions were for terrorism offences or for alleged roles in mass killings. The number of people on death row was not clear, and the information was not released by the government. We continued to condemn and lobby against the death penalty, urging greater transparency and due process in line with international standards.

Violations of the right to freedom of expression remained a concern, particularly in the Kurdistan Region. We received reports of detained journalists and temporary closures of think-tanks and NGOs, with those perceived as critical of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) banned from covering government and official events. These reports worsened at the time of the Kurdistan Region's 25 September referendum on independence. The authorities prohibited broadcaster Nalia Radio and Television from reporting on several official events, and a lawsuit was filed against its owner for initiating a campaign against the timing of the referendum. In December, protests erupted in the Sulaimaniya and Halabja provinces of the Kurdistan Region, during which 46 cases of assaults and death threats against journalists and media outlet closures were recorded. The UK lobbied bilaterally and jointly with the rest of the international community to raise concerns over violations of freedom of expression, including delivering a demarche to the KRG.

Ensuring and protecting women's rights remained central to our work in 2017. In the Kurdistan Region, the KRG undertook several awareness campaigns, including on child marriage. However, the KRG's Directorate for Combating Violence against Women reported that gender-based violence in the Kurdistan Region remained high, in particular honour killings, burns and early marriages. The UK will continue to urge the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Governments to implement the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security effectively. We will also press for an increased and meaningful role for women in reconciliation processes and elections. The Iraqi National Education Strategy 2011-2020 recognises the importance of tackling gender disparity in education. The British Council, alongside the EU, is delivering a primary and secondary education programme in Iraq, reaching over 26,000 schools across all provinces. This project delivers national campaigns which encourage girls in rural areas to enrol in education, with a further focus on retention. The UK will continue to support the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to enable more girls to receive a quality education.

Freedom of religion or belief is protected in the Iraqi Constitution and the Government of Iraq has made commitments to protect the rights of all Iraqis. Throughout 2017, we discussed the challenges to freedom of religion or belief with religious leaders in Iraq and in the UK. We continued to encourage them to speak out to condemn sectarian violence. We worked to build consensus around the importance of freedom of religion or belief in Iraq, and of its promotion and protection. For example, we continued to fund a project to promote legal and social protection for freedom of religion or belief in secondary schools, with the aim of strengthening the capacity of educators to create a culture of respect for this right among young people. In November, the Prime Minister, Theresa May, and the Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, agreed on the important role which all Iraq's communities, including minorities, should play in the country's future.

In 2018, the UK will strive to ensure that Daesh is held accountable for its appalling human rights abuses. We are working with the Iraqi government and the UN to establish an Investigative Team, as mandated by UNSCR 2379, to gather and record evidence of Daesh's crimes. We will also express our concern about the use of the death penalty and advocate increased transparency around trials; and we will share our position with Iraqi ministers on the need for progress with regard to freedom of expression, gender-based violence, and freedom of religion or belief.