UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

As a consequence of frequent attacks directed against educational facilities and teaching professionals, many schools and universities hold irregular classes or have suspended classes altogether. 575 Many schools in volatile areas remain closed. 576 2. Journalists and Media Workers a) Situation in Central and Southern Iraq Increasing numbers of journalists and media workers have been killed, threatened or otherwise intimidated with impunity because of their work. Several news outlets have been attacked. Iraq has become the deadliest conflict in the world for journalists. UNESCO’s Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura, issued a press release on 22 January 2007 condemning the killing of reporters and media staff, saying “I am horrified by the number of Iraqi journalists who are paying with their lives for their professional commitment to the fundamental human right of freedom of expression.” 577 While Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have different statistics 578 on the numbers of journalists and media support staff killed in Iraq since 2003, the most conservative figure puts the number at 93 as of mid-February 2007. 579 In addition, CPJ reported that 37 media support workers such as drivers, interpreters, fixers and guards were killed. Thus far, 2006 has been the most lethal year. The majority of the victims were Iraqis. While some have been killed in crossfire or other acts of war, the majority lost their lives in deliberate attacks. 580 According to Aidan White, General Secretary of IFJ, “(m)ore than ten per cent of Iraq’s active journalists’ community has been killed.” 581 Up to 150 kidnapped from Baghdad institute, 14 November 2006, http://www.guardian.co.uk/ Iraq/Story/0,,1947359,00.html; BBC News, Scores seized from Baghdad office, 14 November 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6146152.stm; IRIN, Iraq: Minister closes universities following mass kidnapping, 14 November 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=61940. 575 For example, on 20 November 2006, the University of Diyala warned that it would halt classes if the Government did not provide better protection for its employees; see UNAMI HRO, December 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 16, see above footnote 10. 576 Ibid. 577 UNESCO, Director-General condemns wave of killings and abuses against Iraqi journalists, Press Release N°2007-06, 22 January 2007, http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=36512&URL_DO=DO_ PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html. 578 The CPJ requires more evidence to verify reported killings, and therefore its statistics are generally lower. 579 According to RSF, 148 media employees were killed between March 2003 and 15 February 2007; see RSF, More violence against journalists amid continuing impunity, 15 February 2007, http://www.rsf.org/ article.php3?id_article=21016; the IFJ puts the number of journalists and media staff killed at 171 by 31 December 2006; see IFJ, Journalism Put To The Sword in 2006, http://www.ifj.org/pdfs/JournalistsKilled 2007finalweb.pdf. 580 CPJ, Iraq: Journalists in Danger, a statistical profile of journalists killed on duty since March 2003, http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/Iraq/Iraq_danger.html [accessed Febuary 2007]; ibidem, Iraq: Journalists in Danger, media workers killed since 2003, http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/Iraq/iraq_media_killed.html; see also RSF, Iraq – Annual Report 2007, 1 February 2007, http://www.rsf.org/country-43.php3?id_mot=616& Valider=OK. 581 IFJ, Iraqi Journalists Call on United Nations to Act over Media “Nightmare”, 19 December 2006, http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?index=4490&Language=EN. 112
There are a number of possible motives behind attacks on journalists and media workers. The ongoing sectarianism has increasingly politicized the media sector in Iraq and most media outlets are affiliated with a sectarian or political bloc. Journalists fall victim to revenge killings, in particular when they become involved in controversial political issues or describe corruption or human rights violations committed by certain persons or groups. Sectarian violence also took its toll on journalists, with gunmen targeting journalists whom they accuse of siding with either Sunnis or Shi’ites. 582 For example, on 18 September 2006, Ahmed Riyadh Al-Karbouli, a correspondent for Baghdad TV, which is owned by the Iraqi Islamic Party, was shot by gunmen in Ramadi. Al-Karbouli worked at Baghdad TV for two years covering security and the situation of the residents of Ramadi. According to CPJ sources, “his reports offended some insurgents in Ramadi who felt he was criticizing them.” One month before the killing, gunmen had stormed into his house and threatened him in front of his family. 583 The most deadly attack on members of the Iraqi media took place on 12 October 2006, when gunmen wearing police uniforms stormed the offices of Al-Shabbiya, a new satellite television station in Baghdad. Eleven employees, including its founder and director, Abdul Rahim Nasralla Al-Shameri, were killed. The identity and motive of the killers were not known, but Shi’ite militias or police units are suspected to have carried out the attack for sectarian reasons. 584 The channel had only transmitted some test broadcasts of patriotic music and videos as it was to officially start two days later. Reportedly, it was aimed at a mainly Sunni audience. 585 In another example, journalist Fadia Mohamed Ali and her driver were killed on her way to work. According to UNAMI HRO, there are strong indications that she was targeted by elements of the Iraqi Police as she had repeatedly written about police corruption and misconduct during raids. 586 Journalists have also been targeted for “collaborating” with the MNF or the “West”, in particular when they work for foreign (especially English-speaking) media outlets. 587 For example, it was reported that journalists in Mosul received threatening letters accusing 582 RSF, Iraq – Annual Report 2007, see above footnote 580; see also IRIN, Iraq: Fighting swords with pens, 27 November 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=61967; Kirk Semple and Qais Mizher, Gunmen Kill 11 Employees of a Satellite Television Station in Baghdad, The New York Times, 13 October 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/world/middleeast/13iraq.html; BBC News, Gunmen kill eight in Iraq TV raid, 12 October 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6043158.stm; Firas Al-Atraqchi, Iraqi journalists stare death in the face, Al Jazeera, 9 October 2006, http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/ 9175100C-8FD3-4D90-9068-EF2361935EF3.htm. See also “Shi’ites and Sunnis Civilians”. 583 CPJ, IRAQ: TV correspondent murdered in Ramadi, 18 September 2006, http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/ mideast/iraq18sept06na.html. 584 Semple and Mizher, see above footnote 582; BBC News, Gunmen kill eight in Iraq TV raid, 12 October 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6043158.stm. 585 Ibid. 586 UNAMI HRO, December 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 14, see above footnote 10. 587 RSF, Iraq – Annual Report 2007, see above footnote 580; IRIN, Iraq: Fighting swords with pens, see above footnote 582. See also “Actual or Perceived Sympathizers of the US-Led Invasion and/or the Multi- National Force in Iraq”. 113
Page 1 and 2:
UNHCR’s ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FO
Page 3 and 4:
iii) Current Situation ............
Page 5 and 6:
a) Overall Situation ..............
Page 7 and 8:
IOM International Organization for
Page 9 and 10:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A. Current Situat
Page 11 and 12:
and gatherings, Shi’ite religious
Page 13 and 14:
Government Officials and Other Pers
Page 15 and 16:
Iraqi Asylum-Seekers From Central a
Page 17 and 18:
considered to be well-founded. To t
Page 19:
affiliated with criminal groups. In
Page 22 and 23:
expand on the legal and policy guid
Page 24 and 25:
The general chaos following the inv
Page 26 and 27:
countries. While a good part of the
Page 28 and 29:
evenues. 41 An understanding of var
Page 30 and 31:
Article 140 of the Constitution cal
Page 32 and 33:
the Middle East in terms of women
Page 34 and 35:
epealed the CPA’s decision to sus
Page 36 and 37:
The Iraqi judiciary continues to be
Page 38 and 39:
Several groups, including the Mujah
Page 40 and 41:
Al-Sunna. In addition, members of t
Page 42 and 43:
dominated Special Police Commando u
Page 44 and 45:
military commander in Iraq, General
Page 47 and 48:
IV. PARTICULAR GROUPS AT RISK A. Re
Page 49 and 50:
to Osama Bin Laden, the Shi’ites
Page 51 and 52:
Shi’ite militias on the other han
Page 53 and 54:
underscored how explosive the confl
Page 55 and 56:
of the latest security crack-down i
Page 57 and 58:
Ninewa Plains in particular have be
Page 59 and 60:
The overall climate results in non-
Page 61 and 62: efuge in the three Northern Governo
Page 63 and 64: an international court. 261 Several
Page 65 and 66: The alleged main perpetrators of at
Page 67 and 68: In the current climate of religious
Page 69 and 70: prohibition to kill, lie, commit ad
Page 71 and 72: Mandaeans as belonging to the “Pe
Page 73 and 74: have found refuge with the Sabaean-
Page 75 and 76: distributed to homes in Baghdad gav
Page 77 and 78: Estimates of the number of Yazidis
Page 79 and 80: Yazidis are furthermore organized i
Page 81 and 82: AP reported in October 2006 that
Page 83 and 84: apostasy and a threat to public ord
Page 85 and 86: KRG. Mr. Falak Al-Deen Kakai, senio
Page 87 and 88: “those Iraqis who had lost their
Page 89 and 90: government offices, 441 and changin
Page 91 and 92: security, of transferring hundreds
Page 93 and 94: 2. Roma (Kawliyah) 461 a) Introduct
Page 95 and 96: Ghraib and was known for its strong
Page 97 and 98: Sunnis willing to denounce violence
Page 99 and 100: CPA began to allow some vetted ex-B
Page 101 and 102: It has been documented that attacks
Page 103 and 104: een killed in Iraq and another 491
Page 105 and 106: Acts committed against employees or
Page 107 and 108: E. Government Officials and Other P
Page 109 and 110: 3. Persons Opposing the Ruling Part
Page 111: 3,250 professors had fled Iraq sinc
Page 115 and 116: inside the media compound, refrain
Page 117 and 118: 3. Artists Iraqi artists, actors an
Page 119 and 120: groups for not giving priority to t
Page 121 and 122: population at large and bring the c
Page 123 and 124: after their release. 660 UNAMI HRO
Page 125 and 126: International Covenant on Civil and
Page 127 and 128: evidence that over forty people had
Page 129 and 130: Both sexes have become victims of s
Page 131 and 132: V. ELIGIBILITY FOR INTERNATIONAL PR
Page 133 and 134: those countries, even only on a tem
Page 135 and 136: violence on a daily basis. Ordinary
Page 137 and 138: cause. 733 More than one Convention
Page 139 and 140: C. Exclusion From International Ref
Page 141 and 142: a) Before the Fall of the Former Re
Page 143 and 144: ) War Crimes War crimes are serious
Page 145 and 146: in mind when assessing crimes commi
Page 147 and 148: groups (pre-2003) or insurgency or
Page 149 and 150: A plausible explanation regarding t
Page 151 and 152: D. Internal Flight or Relocation Al
Page 153 and 154: Travel by Road Road travel in Iraq,
Page 155 and 156: with armed conflict between the MNF
Page 157 and 158: egulations regarding entry and resi
Page 159 and 160: It has been reported that new IDPs,
Page 161 and 162: Interior and Finance. While the Min
Page 163 and 164:
and generally describe the three No
Page 165 and 166:
In order to access the three Northe
Page 167 and 168:
Governorate of Sulaymaniyah Persons
Page 169 and 170:
v. Risk of Persecution or Other Ser
Page 171 and 172:
In addition, non-Kurdish persons, p
Page 173 and 174:
Conclusion Availability of an inter
Page 175 and 176:
to flee Iraq have done so illegally
Page 177 and 178:
explosives blew up. Two people were
Page 179 and 180:
• On 2 July 2003, an armed assaul
Page 181 and 182:
• 18 September 2006: Gunmen kille
Page 183 and 184:
• 17 December 2003: An angry mob
Page 185 and 186:
Annex IV: Attacks on Government Off
Page 187 and 188:
• 2 May 2006: A suicide car bombe
Page 189 and 190:
• 5 December 2006: Dr. Mohammed H
Page 191 and 192:
Annex VI: Attacks on Doctors and Ot
Page 193 and 194:
• 1 July - 31 August 2006: Accord
Page 195 and 196:
Annex VIII: Attacks on Athletes and
Page 197 and 198:
Annex IX: Attacks on Palestinian Re
Page 199 and 200:
Palestinian family fled the hospita
Page 201 and 202:
Annex X: Selected Bibliography Note
Page 203 and 204:
IWPR, Baghdad Gays Fear for Their L
Page 205 and 206:
Senanayake, Sumedha, Iraq: Ethnic T
Page 207 and 208:
W Wilson, Scott, Iraqis Killing For
Page 209:
s�—�2q��
show all

UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?