Iraq’s government must take decisive steps to fulfill its human rights commitments, aiming to eliminate systemic impunity regarding human rights violations, protect the rights of women and girls, and secure fundamental freedoms. Amnesty International emphasized these urgencies in an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, marking three months since the introduction of a new ministerial program.
Insufficient Progress on Human Rights Commitments
Three months into the government’s 2026–2029 Ministerial Programme, which commenced on May 14, 2026, the progress on promised improvements regarding human rights, women’s empowerment, and the support for an independent civil society has been limited. Despite pledges to combat violence against women and girls, survivors face significant obstacles in attaining justice and protection. Proposed domestic violence legislation, which has languished in Iraq’s parliament for over a decade, remains unapproved, leaving victims vulnerable. Recent modifications to the Personal Status Code, adopted in August 2025 based on Jaafari Shia jurisprudence, continue to compromise the legal equality of women and girls.
Furthermore, independent civil society activists, journalists, and human rights defenders endure harassment, judicial threats, and physical violence while exercising their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. Peaceful demonstrators, such as those protesting power shortages in al-Kut during June and July 2026, face excessive force from security forces and, at times, detention.
Urgent Need for Legislative Reforms
Razaw Salihy, an Iraq researcher for Amnesty International, commented, “This Government must chart a new course for Iraq, particularly for those whose rights have faced long-standing violations: women and girls, detainees, people who have been forcibly disappeared, and human rights advocates.” Additionally, he called for essential legislative measures to tackle gender-based violence and the need for impartial investigations into assaults on activists. Salihy stressed the importance of ceasing “public morality” campaigns that hinder freedom of expression and peaceful dissent.
Human rights defenders—especially those focused on women’s rights—alongside journalists and activists, continue to confront relentless intimidation and judicial harassment. The first half of 2026 was marked by increased assaults, including the assassination of activist Yanar Mohammed in Baghdad on March 2. Although authorities promised investigations, no updates have been made public. An activist also narrowly escaped an attempted assassination on April 21 in Babel governorate. Instead of ensuring accountability, Iraqi authorities are tightening public spaces, utilizing vague laws, and deploying excessive force against peaceful protests.
Inhumane Detention Conditions and Calls for Accountability
In Iraq’s prisons, overcrowding and lack of sanitary facilities contribute to inhumane conditions. Detainees frequently report mistreatment and obstruction in accessing medical care. Thousands, especially those convicted of terrorism-related charges, remain at risk of the death penalty, despite numerous documented violations of due process.
Salihy insisted that the Iraqi government must make a firm commitment to end long-standing denials of truth and justice for families of enforced disappearance victims. “This Government must acknowledge its past misdeeds by disclosing the fates of the missing and providing sufficient reparations for the suffering endured,” he stated.
Moreover, the Prime Minister is urged to initiate an official moratorium on all executions and to ensure justice for survivors of torture, laying down a clear and immediate plan to put an end to these injustices without delay. The ongoing climate of impunity in Iraq highlights the urgent need for reform and accountability.