Statement in Support of Zainab Jawad
and All Women Human Rights Defenders in Iraq
The Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI) expresses its full solidarity with Zeinab Jawad, a prominent Iraqi lawyer and women’s rights defender, who has recently been subjected to systematic attacks aimed at punishing her for her legitimate engagement in defending civil liberties and human rights.
According to credible sources, Zeinab was arrested without a judicial warrant, and her phone was forcibly confiscated – a clear violation of legal and constitutional safeguards. She was also subjected to a defamation campaign through the unauthorized publication of her personal photos, in an abusive act that violates her dignity and privacy.
These attacks are part of a growing pattern of gender-based violence in digital spaces, which are increasingly being used as tools to intimidate and silence women activists and deter them from participating in public life. What Zeinab is facing is not an isolated case: it reflects a broader climate of intimidation, defamation, and impunity targeting women human rights defenders in Iraq.
Zeinab is widely known for her public positions in defense of rights and freedoms, including her opposition to attempts to restrict women’s rights and undermine hard-won legal achievements. These stances have made her a target of intersecting political, social, and religious attacks aimed at silencing her voice and breaking her will.
The protection of women human rights defenders is a legal and moral responsibility shared by both the state and society. Continued silence in the face of these violations amounts to complicity, legitimizes repression, and encourages its repetition.
Accordingly, we affirm the following:
• The need to uphold justice and ensure accountability for all those who commit violations against human rights defenders;
• The state’s explicit and effective commitment to preventing the recurrence of such violations, and to providing legal and societal protection to those who defend rights and freedoms;
• The guarantee of a safe environment that enables defenders to carry out their work without fear or threats.
The targeting of Zeinab Jawad is a targeting of everyone who raises their voice in defense of dignity, justice, and equality. It is a stark reminder that the struggle for freedom remains dangerous – but also essential – to building an Iraq that respects human rights.
