Iraq: Information on the Iraqi government's current treatment of 1) Christians 2) Armenians and 3) employees of British companies in Iraq

1) An article in Chicago Tribune on 24 December 1990 states that the Iraqi "secular government" has protected Iraqi Christians "from much of the discrimination suffered by Christians elsewhere in the Arab world." ("No Comfort or Joy for Iraq Christians", 24 December 1990, 1).

 A 1990 Middle East Watch report states that the Iraqi government officially recognizes 15 Christian communities (Middle East Watch, February 1990, 70-71). The report adds that while Christian sects are prohibited from proselytizing among Moslems, the reverse is permitted (Ibid.). The source refers to the existence of compulsory Islamic religion classes for Iraqi Christian children in 1989 and 1981 and that the Iraqi government monitors the activities of Assyrian clergy "because of its traditional identification with Assyrian nationalist sentiment" (Ibid., 71). The source also suggests that the teaching of the Assyrian language is forbidden (Ibid.).

 An Amnesty International Response to Information Request on 16 February 1990 states that Amnesty International "does not take the position that the Assyrian community in Iraq is persecuted (as defined in our mandate) simply on the basis of their religion." (Amnesty International, 16 February 1990, 1). The Response adds that "the community has of course suffered other violations which are not within our mandate, e.g., the destruction of their churches etc. However, the cases which have been of AI concern in the past were mainly individuals suspected of links with the opposition Assyrian Democratic Movement or of having carried out other anti-government activity" (Ibid.). However, the Response refers to the "disappearance" and "unknown fate" of a number of Assyrians who returned to Iraq from Turkey in "late 1988/early 1989" in order to "benefit from various amnesties declared since the ceasefire [in Iran-Iraq war]" (Amnesty International, 16 February 1990, 1).

 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1989 states that "while the [Iraqi] government has assumed much greater authority in Islamic religious affairs since 1981, it has been less intrusive into the religious affairs of Iraq's Christians" (Country Reports 1989 1990, 1416). The reports adds that Iraqi Christians' "freedom of worship in churches of established denominations is legally protected, but they are not permitted to proselytize or hold meetings outside church premises. Convents and monasteries exist, and some new churches have been constructed, in some cases with government financial support" (Ibid.).

 2) Information on the subject is currently unavailable to the IRBDC.

 3) According to a Xinhua General Overseas News Service report on 20 January 1991, a British Foreign Office spokesman claims that the Iraqi government arrested an Iraqi-based British engineer in September 1990 despite the Iraqi government's rejection of the claim ("British Engineer Feared Under Arrest in Baghdad", 20 January 1991). The source quotes the mentioned spokesman in 20 January 1991 as saying: "It appears he [the engineer] is still being held by the Iraqis despite their denials" (Ibid.).

 An Inter Press Service report on 8 March 1990 holds that the Iraqi authorities arrested an Iranian-born resident of the U.K. (Farzad Bazoft) and a British national (Daphne Parish) in September 1989. ("Iraq: Calls for a Fair Trial for London "Observer" Journalist", 8 March 1990, 1). The source adds that the Iraqi government accused the arrested persons, who were a journalist with the British weekly magazine The Observer and a nurse at a private hospital in Baghdad respectively, of espionage for Israel (Ibid.). According to the source, The Observer denied the espionage charge and maintained that its journalist went to Iraq "on a press visit sponsored by the Iraqi government (Ibid.). An article in The Independent on 9 March 1990 reports the trial of an "Observer journalist", Farzad Bazoft, and a British nurse, Daphne Parish. (" 'Observer' Journalist Rebuts Spying Charge in Iraqi Court", 9 March 1990, 1). The article maintains that the journalist denied the espionage accusation and the nurse also defended herself (Ibid.).

 A March 1990 Amnesty International Urgent Action reports the conviction of Farzad Bazoft (the "British-based journalist for the London newspaper, The Observer,") of espionage by a "Revolutionary Court in Baghdad" and his execution on 15 March 1990 (Amnesty International, AI Index: MDE 14/05/90). The source also reports that the same court sentenced Daphne Parish to 15 years in prison for her "complicity" in the alleged espionage activities of Farzad Bazoft (Ibid.).

 Further information on the subject is currently unavailable to the IRBDC.

 Attachments

Amnesty International. (AI Index: MDE 14/05/90). "Further Information on UA 103/90 (MDE 14/03/90), 12 March 1990" - Death Penalty/Concern about Trial Proceedings."

Amnesty International. 16 February 1990. "Iraq: Response to Information Request"; 1, 2.

Chicago Tribune"; 24 December 1990. "No Comfort or Joy for Iraq

Inter Press Service. 8 March 1990. "Iraq: Calls for a fair Trial for London 'Observer' Journalist."

Middle East watch. February 1990. "Human Rights in Iraq." ; 69-73.

The Independent. 9 March 1990. " 'Observer' Journalist Rebuts

Spying Charge in Iraqi Court."; 1, 2. (NEXIS)

The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 20 January 1991."British Engineer Feared Under Arrest in Baghdad." (NEXIS)