LONDON (Reuters) - The absence of a strong voice from the international community against Iraq's flagrant violation of human rights in the face of demonstrations in the country could encourage the authorities to continue a brutal crackdown, the Middle East Eye website warned.
A recent article published by the website pointed out that despite the Iraqi government's commitment to international human rights standards, the process of blocking the Internet from citizens continues for a week.
By taking such action, the authorities not only violated the rights of Iraqis to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, but also prevented images documenting their repression of protests from reaching the world.
| Huge crowds of protesters in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad (Reuters) |
Prompt for changes
Since early October, Iraqis have taken to the streets to demand their basic rights of clean water and electricity around the clock, education for all and employment opportunities, and an end to corruption. Since then, the protests have evolved into calls for comprehensive political change, including the dissolution of parliament, constitutional reform and general elections under UN auspices.
Instead of responding to protesters' demands, there have been blatant violations of the rights of protesters. Snipers spread and used live ammunition against demonstrators and ambulance crews, and tear gas canisters were thrown at the demonstrators in large quantities. As a result, more than 320 people were killed and thousands injured.
Iraqi authorities reportedly detained hundreds of injured protesters in hospitals, while forcing others to sign pledges to stop participating in other demonstrations before releasing them.
The Iraqi authorities also reportedly refused to hand over the bodies of the dead unless their relatives signed statements that their deaths were accidental. Others have been kidnapped and have not appeared since.
The article pointed out that the violent repression of the protests was accompanied by a government crackdown on any attempts to bring this brutality to the world. At the beginning of the demonstrations, gunmen attacked media platforms and destroyed their equipment to stop broadcasting. Iraqi authorities also imposed an Internet blocking and prevented hospital staff and state agencies from reporting casualties.
| Khellani Square in central Baghdad flooded with tear gas (Al-Jazeera) |
A decisive moment
The review of human rights records in Iraq before the UN Human Rights Council did not take place in a timely manner. It was part of the periodic review process, in which the human rights records of United Nations Member States were examined every four years.
In reviewing Iraq's human rights records, countries including Britain, Slovenia and Germany took a firm stand against abuses committed in the context of demonstrations, calling on the Iraqi authorities to conduct prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into the killing of protesters.
Other countries, including Sweden, Slovakia and Argentina, also urged the Iraqi authorities to uphold the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly by stopping intimidation and threatening the media.
For its part, the United States urged the Iraqi authorities to stop the excessive use of violence, while France and Estonia called for the lifting of restrictions on the Internet and social media.
Other countries also addressed the issues that led to the demonstrators taking to the streets, urging the Iraqi authorities to fight corruption, reduce poverty, stop executions and end discrimination faced by families on suspicion of ISIS affiliation.
| Iraqi security forces use bullets and tear gas as they confront demonstrations (Reuters) |
Pervasive corruption
Iraqis are not only demanding a reduction in poverty or corruption, but want a radical and comprehensive reform at the heart of the sectarian quota system and an amendment to the constitution that was created during the US occupation that began in 2003.
On the other hand, this system not only contributed to the spread of corruption in the country through the sharing of power and state resources among its three main communities (Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds), but also fueled sectarian violence and opened the way for regional and Western forces to intervene in internal Iraqi affairs.
Iraqis' desire for sovereignty and sweeping reforms of the political system illustrate why the protesters have rejected US calls for early elections.
The article showed that Iran avoided addressing the issue of demonstrations, calling on the Iraqi authorities to "continue to protect its population against terrorism." This may not come as a surprise, given the role of Tehran-backed militias in Iraq's crackdown on protests in the country.