“We are entering the Green Zone and crossing the Al-Jumhuriya bridge, in memory of the martyrs of the October 2019 uprisings”. Saying these words, the new Iraqi movement IMTIDAD celebrated the extraordinary winning of 9 seats at the early elections. The elections, held on October 10th, inaugurated a new political phase of the country as […]
Iraq Flies Hundreds Back From Belarus Border as EU adds Sanctions
Al-Monitor Iraq has brought back over 400 of its citizens who chose repatriation after weeks stranded in dire conditions on the Belarus border and failed attempts to enter the EU. ERBIL, Iraq — The international media has been awash for weeks in photos and videos of Iraqis and other would-be migrants suffering from bitterly cold winter […]
Iraq seeks to have access to a new environmental era to deal with the serious implications of climate change, Iraqi President Salih announced through a video while addressing the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The President said that Iraq has […]
The Suffering of Kurdish Migrants Intensifies Amid a Standoff on the Poland-Belarus Border
A rain cloud arrived in the Belarus-Poland border sky on the night of November 8, hours after hundreds of migrants gathered in a forest, steps away from the frontier. Among them is a young Kurdish man who fled creeping despair and hopelessness in his hometown in the Kurdistan Region. Generations of Kurds have lived similar […]
The Climate Crisis is a Human Rights Crisis
HRW Rights Should be at Center of COP26 Climate Deliberations As world leaders gather in Glasgow for the United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) this week, the stakes could not be higher. From burning forests to sweltering cities, parched farmlands to storm-battered coasts, the climate crisis is taking a mounting toll on lives and livelihoods around the globe. […]
Iraq: Yezidi Reparations Law Progress Welcome, but More Must be Done to Assist Survivors
New regulations passed by Iraq’s parliament in September on the Yazidi Survivors Law mark long-overdue progress for many who suffered atrocities committed by the Islamic State (IS) armed group, Amnesty International said. However, the Iraqi authorities must do more to address the needs of all survivors, including by specifically providing reparations for children who were […]
Into Thin Air: New Report by Save the Tigris Examines Evaporation Losses From Dam Reservoirs in Iraq
Iraq is facing a mounting water crisis. With temperatures rising, drought conditions becoming more extreme, and riparian states further restricting flows into Iraq, the country’s water supply is shrinking even as demand is rising. In response, Iraq has doubled down on dam construction. Dams continue to be promoted across Iraq as a means of storing […]
Militias Protest After Losses in Iraqi Election
al-monitor The results of Iraq’s Oct. 10 parliamentary elections came as a shock to political parties affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Units, as they lost more than half of their seats in parliament. BAGHDAD — Supporters of political parties associated with militias that lost big in the last elections have been protesting for seven days […]
GCHR Activities During UN Human Rights Council’s 48th Session
GCHR The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) was involved in various advocacy activities during the 48th session of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, which ran from 13 September to 11 October 2021. GCHR organized and participated in five online side events and meetings to carry out advocacy to enhance the protection […]
Five Duhok detainees to be released: lawyer
Rudaw ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Five of the detainees from Duhok whose cases prompted an international outcry from media watchdogs, human rights groups, and diplomats are expected to be released on Thursday, one of their lawyers told Rudaw. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has come under fire for the prosecution of the dozens of people […]
Realities of Climate-Induced Migration in Iraq’s Southern Cities
IOM Basra – Environmental degradation over the last 10 years has severely damaged Iraq’s agricultural sector. Worsening water scarcity and quality have left the sector unable to support sufficient and sustainable livelihoods, particularly in rural areas, where it has long been the main workforce employer. This has directly contributed to the migration of rural populations in […]
GCHR’s 19th Periodic Report on Human Rights Violations in Iraq
GCHR This is the nineteenth periodic report issued by the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) since January 2020, documenting the human rights situation in Iraq. It covers the recent elections that took place on 10 October 2021, the peaceful protests taking place in the country, harassment of civil society activists, journalists, and the media, […]