UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
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3. Artists<br />
Iraqi artists, actors and singers have been targeted by Sunni and Shi’ite extremists, who<br />
accuse them of engaging in “un-Islamic” activities. 610 According to their views, music,<br />
theatre and television encourage immoral behaviour. 611 The Iraqi Artists Association told<br />
IRIN in November 2006 that almost all singers have fled the country and that at least 75 of<br />
them had been killed since the fall of the former regime in 2003. 612 UNAMI, in its last<br />
human rights report, mentioned the kidnapping and killing of Mutashar Al-Sudani, a well<br />
known actor, on 18 December 2006. Furthermore, Abdulwahab Aldayni, a famous<br />
performer and author, was attacked by an armed group on 29 November 2006, causing<br />
permanent facial injuries. According to UNAMI HRO, several actors are considering<br />
moving abroad out of fear for their lives. 613<br />
Many others artists reportedly stopped performing their professions after receiving threats<br />
or for fear of being targeted. For example, Yussef Ghadin, actor and singer, quit his job<br />
after two of his colleagues were killed by a local militia who considered his work a “devil’s<br />
job”. 614 Painters avoid depicting living objects or objects that might be considered erotic. 615<br />
Accordingly, some artists have turned to religious music and paintings. 616<br />
Other artists have been targeted for openly criticizing the political situation in Iraq. 617 Also<br />
too close affiliation with “Western” art, e.g. the performance of English songs, might put<br />
a person at risk as he/she could be considered of being supportive of the West, and in<br />
particular the US. 618 Artists known to have been serving the former Government of Saddam<br />
Hussein may also come under attack. 619<br />
610<br />
See also “Persons Accused of “Un-Islamic” Behaviour”.<br />
611<br />
Edward Wong, Iraqis make music from mayhem, Scotland on Sunday, 1 October 2006,<br />
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1452272006; IRIN, Iraq: Artists become targets in<br />
rising atmosphere of intolerance, 24 April 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=26311.<br />
612<br />
IRIN, Iraq: Singing “the devil’s music” will get you killed, 23 November 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/<br />
report.aspx?reportid=61962.<br />
613<br />
UNAMI HRO, December 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 15, see above footnote 10.<br />
614<br />
IRIN, Iraq: Artists become targets in rising atmosphere of intolerance, 24 April 2006,<br />
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=26311.<br />
615<br />
Mona Mahmoud, Postwar artists, art world will illustrate new time and place, USA Today, 21 July 2005,<br />
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-07-21-artists-iraq_x.htm.<br />
616<br />
Ibid. See also: IRIN, Iraq: Singing “the devil’s music” will get you killed, see above footnote 612..<br />
617<br />
The Guardian, Art under fire, 22 November 2004, http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/<br />
0,11710,1356522,00.html. For example, Waleed Hassan, one of Iraq’s best known satirists and broadcasters,<br />
was gunned down in Baghdad on 20 November 2006. Hassan was known for his “Caricature” sketch show,<br />
in which he poked fun at the political, security and social conditions in the country; Reuters, Iraqi TV satirist<br />
killed in Baghdad, 20 November 2006, http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L20597665.htm.<br />
618<br />
IRIN, Iraq: Singing “the devil’s music” will get you killed, see above footnote 612. See also “Actual or<br />
Perceived Sympathizers of the US-Led Invasion and/or the Multi-National Force in Iraq”.<br />
619<br />
See also “Members and Associates of the Ba’ath Party and the Former Regime”.<br />
117