The human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses the Kurdish government in northern Iraq of torturing minors. Their security forces had beaten detained adolescents, including the whole body, tied them in painful posture and tortured with electric shocks, HRW reported.
In this way, attempts had been made to force the confessions of minors. The 14- to 17-year-olds were therefore held on the charge of being a member of the terrorist militia "Islamic State" (IS). The torture is still happening in "alarming frequency," said HRW child rights expert Jo Becker.
The Kurds in northern Iraq have extensive autonomy rights. They are among the Iraqi forces that had pushed back IS in recent years. Among other things, the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were supported by Germany through training and weapons. The Kurdish regional government has always rejected torture allegations in the past.
The human rights organization said it interviewed more than 20 boys between the ages of 14 and 17 in November last year, most of whom are in custody.