The “Protect Iraqi Human Rights Defenders Now” campaign documented 44 different cases of violations against human rights defenders and civil activists in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, in its report published in October 2024. This report coincides with the fifth anniversary of the October Uprising and covers the period from July 2023 to June 2024. […]
Today marks one year since the war on Gaza began — a year of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and siege. This war did not stop at Gaza’s borders; it extended to the West Bank and Lebanon. The relentless bombardment made no distinction between armed and unarmed individuals, fighters and paramedics, adults and children. The Israeli occupation’s […]
Saoirse don Phalaistin…Freedom for Palestine!
I appreciate the ICSSI for affording me the opportunity as an Irish woman to highlight the overall position of the Irish people on the aggression in Gaza, the aggression that according to modest UN estimates, has seen 100,000 Palestinians killed, wounded or missing. The unbridled violence of the IDF seems to escalate daily, and the killing of […]
Davos Forum – Iraq PM al-Sudani
At the Davos 54th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, held from January 15 to 19, 2024, and dedicated to “Rebuilding Trust”, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani met leaders from all over the world to discuss the four main topics of the meetings: from geopolitical conflicts and climate change to energy related issues, the […]
Democracy in the West – Lessons from Gaza
Almost five months have passed since Hamas launched its military operation against the Israeli occupation forces in Palestine. An operation which has been used by Netanyahu and his far-right government to legitimize brutal acts of violence against the civil population in the Gaza strip, who has been living under siege since 2006. Over the last […]
ICSSI Statement in Solidarity with Palestine
We, the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI), express our unwavering solidarity to the Palestinian people and call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, lifting the siege imposed on 2.2 million Palestinians, and to end the occupation of Palestine. Since 7th October a dramatic escalation of violence has been unfolding before our eyes […]
Four Years Since Iraq’s Uprising: Unanswered Demands
October 1st, 2019, marked a pivotal moment in Iraq’s history when hundreds of protesters flooded the streets of Baghdad and various provinces, demanding their long-denied rights and chanting the powerful slogan, “We Want a Homeland.” However, the peaceful demonstrations were met with a brutal crackdown by security forces, leading to dozens of casualties on that […]
Challenges Persist: Human Rights in Iraq
The 29th Periodic Report on human rights in Iraq paints a stark picture of ongoing challenges. Enforced disappearances, gender equality, and freedom of expression remain pressing concerns. Enforced disappearances continue to haunt families across Iraq, leaving countless lives in limbo. Demands for answers echoed in solidarity gatherings across regions, urging the government to unveil the […]
A group of our partners in Iraq gathered along with families of victims of forced disappearances on Tuesday, August 15th, in Baghdad, Mosul, Najaf, Kirkuk, and Nasiriyah, as part of a campaign to commemorate the victims. Many relatives of the missing and forcibly disappeared, along with representatives from human rights organizations, engaged in peaceful demonstrations […]
The “End Cross Border Bombing” campaign report, launched on the 27th of July 2023, has exposed the devastating impact of Turkish military operations on civilians in Northern Iraq during 2022. This article presents a summary of the gathered information, highlighting the distressing number of civilian casualties and incidents caused by the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF). […]
UNESCO April 4, 2023. On April 4, 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) unveiled the Revised Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation, and Peace, and Education Relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This recommendation marks a significant milestone in UNESCO’s ongoing endeavor to promote understanding, tolerance, and a culture […]
Iraqi Defenders after Twenty Years of Change
19th of July: Hoqoq Observatory for Human Rights Defenders launched a groundbreaking report shedding light on the challenges and risks faced by human rights defenders in Iraq. The report titled “Iraqi Defenders after Twenty Years of Change” provides a comprehensive analysis of the situation of human rights defenders in the country over the period January […]