BAMRO

Iraq was recently called upon by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances to reveal the fate of Ibrahim Sobhi Moussa Alwan Al Jabouri, Ali Alwan Khalaf Al Janabi and Amer Abdul Majeed Al-Tikriti, who have been missing for many years now.

The UN Committee, responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, ratified by Iraq on 23 November 2010, regularly calls on the State party to cooperate effectively within the framework of the established procedure.

Disappearance of Ali Alwan Khalaf Al Janabi

Ali Alwan Khalaf AL JANABI has been missing since his abduction from his home on 2 July 2014. That day, soldiers deployed to the Al Askari neighborhood of Al Mazraa in Latifiya governorate (south of Baghdad), where they raided Al Janabi's home and forcibly took him to an unknown destination.

Militiamen's abduction of Ibrahim Sobhi Moussa Alwan Al Jabouri

On July 8, 2014, a group of ten armed men wearing military pants and regular T-shirts burst into the victim's home, threatening the entire family. They arrested Ibhrahim Sobhi Moussa Al Jabouri and his brother Yahya Al Jabouri and took them to an unknown destination in vans without license plates.

Disappearance of Amer Abdul Majeed Al-Tikriti

Amer Abdul Majeed Al Tikriti was arrested at his home around noon by several soldiers from No. 17 Division before being taken to the division's headquarters in Latifiya. His family who were able to visit him while he was detained there, three months after his arrest, saw clear signs of torture on his face and arms.

Despite numerous steps taken with various state authorities, none of the victims' families has been able to shed light on the fate of their relative.

Iraq urged to locate victims

The Committee's experts reiterated their call on Iraq to take all necessary measures to locate the three victims, to investigate without delay their disappearance in accordance with its treaty obligations and to identify those responsible.

The Committee, which regularly notes the authorities' refusal to reveal the fate of the disappeared, has demanded that the relatives of the disappeared be informed of their situation and that they be immediately put in contact with them.

In addition, the Committee requested specific information, corroborated by official documents relating to the research to be carried out, adding that all three cases will remain open until clarified by the Government.

The recommendations of the UN Committees

Despite many years that have elapsed since their disappearance, none of the missing victims have yet been located.

During the last reviews of Iraq, both the UN Committee against Torture and the Human Rights Committee expressed concern about enforced disappearances in the country after the US occupation and called on the Iraqi authorities to take the necessary steps to put an end to this systematic practice.