Latest news with #IraqiObservatoryforHumanRights
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Watchdog: Iraq elections see rise in divisive rhetoric
Shafaq News/ Sectarian and ethnic rhetoric is escalating ahead of Iraq's 11 November parliamentary elections, the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR) cautioned on Sunday, accusing political factions and media outlets of fueling division instead of promoting meaningful policy debate. In a statement, the IOHR highlighted a surge in identity-based messaging—sectarian, ethnic, and regional—circulating through campaigns and social media. It criticized candidates and their influencers for prioritizing identity politics over qualifications, public service, or reform agendas. Inflammatory language, once limited to the political fringe, now dominates mainstream discourse, according to the IOHR's Asber Center for Information Auditors. 'Social media platforms have become key battlegrounds for this divisive discourse,' the center reported, pointing to orchestrated disinformation campaigns—often run through fake accounts—that target specific communities with misleading, provocative content. The observatory condemned political speeches for amplifying exclusionary rhetoric, particularly against Kurds, minorities, and regional groups, noting that collective trauma and historic grievances are being weaponized to manipulate sentiment and drive identity-based voting. 'New candidates who sidestep programmatic engagement, [are] instead marketing themselves as guardians of 'the component,' 'the region,' or 'a persecuted history,'' the report warned, calling this trend one of the most dangerous developments in Iraq's political environment.
Arab News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Iraq's justice minister says prisons are at double capacity as amnesty law takes effect
BAGHDAD: As a general amnesty law takes effect in Iraq, the country's prisons are facing a crisis of overcrowding, housing more than double their intended capacity, the country's justice minister said in an interview. Justice Minister Khaled Shwani told The Associated Press on Saturday that Iraq's 31 prisons currently hold approximately 65,000 inmates, despite the system being built to accommodate only half that number. He acknowledged that the overcrowding has put a severe strain on prison health care and human rights standards. 'When we took office, overcrowding stood at 300 percent,' he said. 'After two years of reform, we've reduced it to 200 percent. Our goal is to bring that down to 100 percent by next year in line with international standards.' Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Ministry of Justice due to lack of prison capacity. Four new prisons are under construction, Shwani said, while three have been closed in recent years. Two others have been opened and six existing prisons expanded. The general amnesty law passed in January had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been disproportionately targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture. But opponents say the law would allow the release of people involved in public corruption and embezzlement as well as militants who committed war crimes. The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, a watchdog group, said in a statement that 'the current version of the general amnesty law raises deep concerns over its potential legal and security consequences.'' Shwani said 2,118 prisoners have been released from the justice ministry's prisons since the amnesty law took effect, while others had been released from the custody of security agencies before being transferred to the Ministry of Justice. 'We have a committee studying the status of inmates and identifying those who may qualify for release, but the vision is not yet final,' he said. The minister said he expects a 'good number' to be released but 'cannot specify an exact percentage until we receive clarity from the judiciary on who qualifies for the amnesty.' Iraq's prisons house hundreds of foreign nationals, most of them convicted of terrorism-related charges or affiliation with the Al-Qaeda and Daesh. The inmates hail from countries including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Egypt, North African nations, and several European states, as well as a handful of US citizens. Shwani said discussions are underway with several governments to repatriate their citizens, excluding those sentenced to death. He said inmates have been repatriated under existing agreements with Iran, Turkiye, and the United Kingdom, including 127 Iranian inmates who were recently transferred back to Tehran. An Iranian who was convicted in the 2022 killing of a US citizen in Baghdad remains in custody, however, Shwani said. Stephen Edward Troell, 45, a native of Tennessee, was fatally shot in his car in November by assailants as he pulled up to the street where he lived in Baghdad's central Karrada district with his family. Iranian citizen Mohammed Ali Ridha was convicted in the killing, along with four Iraqis, in what was described as a kidnapping gone wrong. All executions have been halted following the issuance of the general amnesty law, Shwani said. Iraq has faced criticism from human rights groups over its application of the death penalty and particularly over mass executions carried out without prior notice to lawyers or family members of the prisoners. Shwani pushed back against the criticisms of prison conditions and of the executions. 'There are strict measures in place for any violations committed against inmates,' he said. 'Many employees have been referred for investigation, dismissed, and prosecuted.' He insisted that the 'number of executions carried out is limited — not as high as reported in the media' and said the death penalty is only applied in 'crimes that severely threaten national security and public safety,' including inmates convicted in a 2016 bombing attack in Baghdad's Karrada district that killed hundreds of people, as well as cases of child rape and high-ranking Daesh leaders. Executions have been paused to reassess cases under the new amnesty law, he said.
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Business Standard
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Prisons at double their capacity as amnesty law takes effect: Iraq minister
As a general amnesty law takes effect in Iraq, the country's prisons are facing a crisis of overcrowding, housing more than double their intended capacity, the country's justice minister said in an interview. Justice Minister Khaled Shwani told The Associated Press on Saturday that Iraq's 31 prisons currently hold approximately 65,000 inmates, despite the system being built to accommodate only half that number. He acknowledged that the overcrowding has put a severe strain on prison healthcare and human rights standards. When we took office, overcrowding stood at 300%," he said. "After two years of reform, we've reduced it to 200%. Our goal is to bring that down to 100 per centby next year in line with international standards. Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Ministry of Justice due to lack of prison capacity. Four new prisons are under construction, Shwani said, while three have been closed in recent years. Two others have been opened and six existing prisons expanded. The general amnesty law passed in January had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been disproportionately targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture. But opponents say the law would allow the release of people involved in public corruption and embezzlement as well as militants who committed war crimes. The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, a watchdog group, said in a statement that the current version of the general amnesty law raises deep concerns over its potential legal and security consequences.' Shwani said 2,118 prisoners have been released from the justice ministry's prisons since the amnesty law took effect, while others had been released from the custody of security agencies before being transferred to the Ministry of Justice. We have a committee studying the status of inmates and identifying those who may qualify for release, but the vision is not yet final, he said. The minister said he expects a good number to be released but cannot specify an exact percentage until we receive clarity from the judiciary on who qualifies for the amnesty. Iraq's prisons house hundreds of foreign nationals, most of them convicted of terrorism-related charges or affiliation with the al-Qaida and Islamic State militant groups. The inmates hail from countries including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Egypt, North African nations, and several European states, as well as a handful of US citizens. Shwani said discussions are underway with several governments to repatriate their citizens, excluding those sentenced to death. He said inmates have been repatriated under existing agreements with Iran, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, including 127 Iranian inmates who were recently transferred back to Tehran. An Iranian who was convicted in the 2022 killing of a U.S. citizen in Baghdad remains in custody, however, Shwani said. Stephen Edward Troell, 45, a native of Tennessee, was fatally shot in his car in November by assailants as he pulled up to the street where he lived in Baghdad's central Karrada district with his family. Iranian citizen Mohammed Ali Ridha was convicted in the killing, along with four Iraqis, in what was described as a kidnapping gone wrong. All executions have been halted following the issuance of the general amnesty law, Shwani said. Iraq has faced criticism from human rights groups over its application of the death penalty and particularly over mass executions carried out without prior notice to lawyers or family members of the prisoners. Shwani pushed back against the criticisms of prison conditions and of the executions. There are strict measures in place for any violations committed against inmates, he said. Many employees have been referred for investigation, dismissed, and prosecuted. He insisted that the number of executions carried out is limited not as high as reported in the media and said the death penalty is only applied in crimes that severely threaten national security and public safety," including inmates convicted in a 2016 bombing attack in Baghdad's Karrada district that killed hundreds of people, as well as cases of child rape and high-ranking IS leaders. Executions have been paused to reassess cases under the new amnesty law, he said.
Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
As amnesty law takes effect in Iraq, justice minister says prisons overcrowded at twice their capacity
Iraq's justice system is grappling with a crisis of overcrowding, with its prisons currently operating at double their intended capacity, Justice Minister Khaled Shwani told The Associated Press. The strain comes just as a newly enacted general amnesty law begins to take effect across the country. According to Shwani, Iraq's 31 prisons are housing around 65,000 inmates—more than twice the number they were designed to hold. 'When we took office, overcrowding stood at 300%,' he said. 'After two years of reform, we've reduced it to 200%. Our goal is to bring that down to 100% by next year in line with international standards.' Amnesty law The general amnesty law, passed in January, has already resulted in the release of over 2,100 prisoners held under the Ministry of Justice. The law has been championed by Sunni lawmakers, many of whom argue that their communities have been disproportionately prosecuted under anti-terrorism legislation—often based on coerced confessions. 'We have a committee studying the status of inmates and identifying those who may qualify for release, but the vision is not yet final,' Shwani said. He added that while a 'good number' of prisoners may be eligible, final decisions will depend on clarification from the judiciary. However, the law has drawn criticism from human rights groups and political opponents who warn that it could allow the release of individuals involved in corruption, embezzlement, or even war crimes. In a recent statement, the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights expressed deep concerns over its potential legal and security consequences. Pressure on infrastructure, reforms underway Shwani acknowledged that the prison infrastructure is under serious strain. Beyond those already in prison, thousands more remain in custody with security agencies, awaiting transfer. To alleviate the pressure, Iraq is currently building four new prisons. Meanwhile, two new facilities have been opened and six others expanded, though three have been closed in recent years due to poor conditions. Repatriation of foreign inmates Iraq's prisons also house hundreds of foreign nationals—many convicted of terrorism-related offences or affiliation with extremist groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State. The detainees come from countries including Turkey, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and several European nations, as well as a few from the United States. Shwani confirmed that talks are underway with multiple governments to repatriate their citizens—except in cases where individuals have received death sentences. Under existing agreements, Iraq has already transferred inmates from Iran, Turkey, and the United Kingdom back to their countries. In light of the amnesty law, Iraq has paused all executions while it reviews individual cases. The country has faced persistent criticism for its use of the death penalty, especially following reports of mass executions carried out without advance notice to lawyers or families.
05-05-2025
- Politics
Iraq's justice minister says prisons are at double their capacity as amnesty law takes effect
BAGHDAD -- As a general amnesty law takes effect in Iraq, the country's prisons are facing a crisis of overcrowding, housing more than double their intended capacity, the country's justice minister said in an interview. Justice Minister Khaled Shwani told The Associated Press on Saturday that Iraq's 31 prisons currently hold approximately 65,000 inmates, despite the system being built to accommodate only half that number. He acknowledged that the overcrowding has put a severe strain on prison healthcare and human rights standards. 'When we took office, overcrowding stood at 300%," he said. "After two years of reform, we've reduced it to 200%. Our goal is to bring that down to 100% by next year in line with international standards.' Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Ministry of Justice due to lack of prison capacity. Four new prisons are under construction, Shwani said, while three have been closed in recent years. Two others have been opened and six existing prisons expanded. The general amnesty law passed in January had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been disproportionately targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture. But opponents say the law would allow the release of people involved in public corruption and embezzlement as well as militants who committed war crimes. The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, a watchdog group, said in a statement that 'the current version of the general amnesty law raises deep concerns over its potential legal and security consequences.'' Shwani said 2,118 prisoners have been released from the justice ministry's prisons since the amnesty law took effect, while others had been released from the custody of security agencies before being transferred to the Ministry of Justice. 'We have a committee studying the status of inmates and identifying those who may qualify for release, but the vision is not yet final,' he said. The minister said he expects a 'good number' to be released but 'cannot specify an exact percentage until we receive clarity from the judiciary on who qualifies for the amnesty.' Iraq's prisons house hundreds of foreign nationals, most of them convicted of terrorism-related charges or affiliation with the al-Qaida and Islamic State militant groups. The inmates hail from countries including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Egypt, North African nations, and several European states, as well as a handful of U.S. citizens. Shwani said discussions are underway with several governments to repatriate their citizens, excluding those sentenced to death. He said inmates have been repatriated under existing agreements with Iran, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, including 127 Iranian inmates who were recently transferred back to Tehran. An Iranian who was convicted in the 2022 killing of a U.S. citizen in Baghdad remains in custody, however, Shwani said. Stephen Edward Troell, 45, a native of Tennessee, was fatally shot in his car in November by assailants as he pulled up to the street where he lived in Baghdad's central Karrada district with his family. Iranian citizen Mohammed Ali Ridha was convicted in the killing, along with four Iraqis, in what was described as a kidnapping gone wrong. All executions have been halted following the issuance of the general amnesty law, Shwani said. Iraq has faced criticism from human rights groups over its application of the death penalty and particularly over mass executions carried out without prior notice to lawyers or family members of the prisoners. Shwani pushed back against the criticisms of prison conditions and of the executions. 'There are strict measures in place for any violations committed against inmates,' he said. 'Many employees have been referred for investigation, dismissed, and prosecuted.' He insisted that the 'number of executions carried out is limited — not as high as reported in the media' and said the death penalty is only applied in 'crimes that severely threaten national security and public safety," including inmates convicted in a 2016 bombing attack in Baghdad's Karrada district that killed hundreds of people, as well as cases of child rape and high-ranking IS leaders.
