UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

G. Certain Professions
According to UNAMI HRO, there is
“a worrying increase in targeted attacks and assassinations of professionals such as
teachers, religious figures, barbers, police officers, artists, lawyers, ex-military officers,
and politicians across Iraq including the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk. These attacks
are typically perpetrated by extremists practising conformist ideology and by
militant/terror groups intent on spreading fear and intimidation.” 559
Another reason for professionals being targeted may be their perceived support for the Iraqi
Government, the US invasion or “Western” ideas in general. Others have been caught up in
the sectarian violence engulfing the country, belonging to the “wrong” sect. Previous
membership in the Ba’ath Party may be another possible motive. Accordingly, some of
these professional groups have already been noted in other chapters.
1. Academics, Professors, Teachers and Students
Iraq’s academics, professors, teachers and students have been facing a campaign of
intimidation, kidnappings and killings. In February 2007, the Iraqi Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research announced that 185 professors had been killed since
2003, and 52 others had been kidnapped. While some were killed by their abductors, others
were released after paying large sums of ransom. The Ministry warned that the ongoing
violence against the educational system might bring it to a collapse. 560 A European anti-war
group, Brusselstribunal.org, maintains a list of 288 Iraqi academics killed as of
24 December 2006. According to the group, more than 70 other names are on a list of
academics who have been threatened or kidnapped. 561 It has launched an appeal to the UN
Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions to investigate what it calls the “systematic
liquidation of the country’s academics.” 562
UNAMI HRO stated that Baghdad accounted for 44% of all assassinations of Iraqi
academics. Anbar, Mosul and Basrah each accounted for 10% and Diyala for 5% of the
total number of assassinated academics. 563 Many academics fled to the Kurdistan Region or
left the country altogether. 564 In August 2006, the Ministry of Higher Education said over
RFE/RL, Iraq: Kurdistan Islamic Union Responds To Attacks, 9 December 2005, http://www.rferl.org/
featuresarticle/2005/12/9dfdf2b2-3d52-4b9b-a56a-38d835cbbb33.html.
559 UNAMI HRO, December 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 14, see above footnote 10.
560 Hayfaa Radhi, 185 professors killed since U.S. invasion, Azzaman, 1 February 2007,
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2007-02-01%5Ckurd.htm.
561 BrusselsTribunal.org, List of killed, threatened or kidnapped Iraqi Academics, updated as of
24 December 2006, http://www.brusselstribunal.org/academicsList.htm.
562 Ibidem, Urgent Appeal to Save Iraq’s Academics, http://www.brusselstribunal.org/
Academicspetition.htm. For a (non-comprehensive) list of attacks on professors, teachers and students, please
see “Annex V: Attacks on Professors, Teachers and Students”.
563 UNAMI HRO, October 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 17, see above footnote 66.
564 Mohammed Salih, Students, Professors Flee to the Kurdish North, IPS, 27 January 2007,
http://www.antiwar.com/ips/salih.php?articleid=10412. See also “Internal Flight or Relocation Alternative”.
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