Iraq: Penalties on return to Iraq after leaving illegally
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1989 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRQ1001 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: Penalties on return to Iraq after leaving illegally, 1 May 1989, IRQ1001, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aaf974.html [accessed 14 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
On December 2, 1987, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein granted amnesty to all Iraqis living abroad who were convicted or suspected of criminal offenses, including those sentenced to death. [ Keesing's Record of World Events, (London, Keesing's Reference Publications), Vol XXXIV, p. 35862.] In September 1988, Hussein announced an amnesty for Kurds who fled the country during August, [Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1988, (U.S. Department of State, 1989), p. 1361.] and in November 1988, he announced a new amnesty for political offenders, covering prisoners within the country and Iraqis who had fled into exile. "Saddam Rules, OK", in The Middle East, March 1989, p. 20.] According to Amnesty International, army deserters were not included in these amnesties, as it reports that several army deserters were executed in late 1988 after being found hiding inside Iraq. [Urgent Action, (London, Amnesty International), 6 March 1989.]
There are no reports presently available at the IRBDC, which specifically refer to the consequences of people returning to Iraq under any of the aforementioned amnesties. The U.S. Country Reports for 1988, however, mention cases of people being unable to leave the country after their return. [Country Reports, p.1361.] Also, a report on Iraq in Documentation Refugiés, 6/15 November 1988, indicates a degree of uncertainty on the possibility of safe return. [Documentation Refugiés, 6/15 November 1988, p. 6.]
