Baghdad: Justice Minister Khalid Shawani has announced the reconstitution of the National Committee for Missing Persons, emphasizing that “Iraqi legislation criminalizes all forms of deprivation of liberty.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry of Justice released a statement explaining that Minister Shawani led the Iraqi delegation in a video conference with a committee in Geneva to discuss Iraq’s report on the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Shawani reiterated that Iraqi laws prohibit any form of abduction, arrest, or detention without judicial warrants.

In his efforts to achieve justice, Shawani detailed that the judiciary and related institutions in Iraq are actively receiving reports and complaints concerning missing persons, including enforced disappearances. Investigative courts are tasked with taking necessary legal actions and issuing rulings in collaboration with security and executive agencies to determine the fate of missing individuals.

Shawani highlighted Iraq’s commitment to an institutional strategy within the National Human Rights Plan. This includes implementing international human rights recommendations, fostering collaboration with national and international bodies, and building strategic partnerships with organizations focused on international law and human rights. These efforts aim to bolster Iraq’s capabilities in combating terrorism and sharing information.

The Justice Minister also discussed the restructuring of the National Committee for Missing Persons, which now encompasses all cases of missing persons, including enforced disappearances. The committee is working to create a unified database and a national register of missing persons within the Human Rights Department, consolidating information from relevant authorities.

Shawani assured that the judicial system, as per the Iraqi Constitution, provides special privileges to the families of the missing, allowing them to engage with investigative courts across Iraq without geographical restrictions. This initiative upholds transparency and the right to information for the families involved.

Regarding the prison system, Shawani stated that Iraqi prisons and detention centers are managed by government agencies under the Law on the Reform of Inmates and Detainees. The Iraqi Corrections Department maintains a register of detainees and an electronic database with detailed information about each inmate’s identity, arrest reasons, and judicial outcomes.

He further affirmed that the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Justice monitors Iraq’s adherence to international human rights obligations. This includes reviewing international committee reports on Iraq, such as those on enforced disappearances, and ensuring that recommendations are implemented as part of the National Human Rights Plan. The department also engages with communications and reports from special rapporteurs and working groups, forwarding these to relevant authorities for necessary responses.