Baghdad: Iraq’s government is facing mounting pressure to fulfill its human rights commitments by addressing systemic impunity, protecting women’s and girls’ rights, and ensuring fundamental freedoms. Amnesty International conveyed this message in an open letter to Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, marking three months since the adoption of a new ministerial program.
According to Amnesty International, the Iraqi government launched its 2026-2029 Ministerial Programme on May 14, 2026, but little progress has been made in strengthening human rights, empowering women, and supporting independent civil society. Despite commitments to combat violence against women and girls, survivors continue to face limited redress and protection. The long-stalled draft domestic violence legislation remains stuck in parliament, while amendments to the Personal Status Code, based on Jaafari Shia jurisprudence, still undermine the legal equality of women and girls.
Civil society activists, journalists, and human rights defenders in Iraq continue to face threats, harassment, and violence for exercising their rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. Peaceful protesters, including those who demonstrated against electricity cuts in al-Kut in June and July 2026, are frequently met with unlawful force and detentions by security forces. Razaw Salihy, Iraq Researcher at Amnesty International, emphasized the need for the government to chart a new course for the country and prioritize human rights protection.
The organization calls on the Prime Minister to adopt comprehensive legislation against gender-based violence, ensure impartial investigations into attacks on activists, and dismantle public morality campaigns that stifle freedom of expression and dissent. Amnesty International also highlights the importance of protecting independent media from interference.
Human rights defenders, especially those advocating for women’s rights, continue to face threats and legal harassment. The first half of 2026 saw escalating attacks, including the assassination of activist Yanar Mohammed in Baghdad. Despite announced investigations, no progress has been publicly shared. Another activist survived an attempted assassination in Babel governorate. Instead of addressing these attacks, Iraqi authorities are shrinking civic space through punitive media restrictions and unlawful force against protesters.
In Iraqi prisons, overcrowding and inadequate conditions persist, with reports of ill-treatment and limited access to medical care for detainees. Many convicted of terrorism-related offenses remain at risk of execution despite fair trial violations. Amnesty International urges the government to end these injustices and provide reparations to families of enforced disappearance victims.
The government is urged to establish a moratorium on executions and ensure justice for survivors of torture. The ongoing impunity is rooted in unaddressed state abuses and historic violations. Perpetrators of the 2019 violent crackdown on the Tishreen movement protests remain unaccountable. Justice is also denied to families of men and boys who disappeared following military operations against the Islamic State, including those abducted from Saqlawiya in Anbar governorate in 2016.