NPWJ in the news

Le sfide della giustizia internazionale
di Martino Seniga, Rai News, 15 Dec 2016

Negli anni quaranta dopo la fine della seconda guerra mondiale, i processi di Norimberga e di Tokyo hanno portato alla nascita dei primi tribunali penali internazionali, che hanno giudicato sui crimini di guerra e contro l’umanità commessi da Germania e Giappone nel corso dell’ultimo conflitto mondiale. Solo 56 anni dopo, nel 2002, il Consiglio di sicurezza dell’Onu ha dato vita alla Corte Penale Internazionale permanente con sede a l’Aia in Olanda. Nel 1959 il Consiglio d’Europa aveva istituito a Strasburgo la Corte Europea dei Diritti dell’Uomo, che prevede la possibilità per ogni cittadino di ricorrere a una corte sovranazionale in quei casi in cui ritenga che i suoi diritti siano stati lesi da uno degli stati aderenti al Consiglio d’Europa.
I crimini contro l’umanità e i Tribunali Penali Internazionali Dopo i processi di Tokyo e Norimberga la giustizia penale internazionale, che indaga sui crimini contro l’umanità anche quando sono stati commessi da leader politici e militari di fama mondiale, ha dovuto attendere la fine della guerra fredda e della divisione del mondo in due blocchi per vedere la nascita dei primi tribunali penali internazionali ad Hoc.  In particolare nel 1993 e 1994 erano stati istituiti dal Consiglio di Sicurezza dell’Onu il Tribunale internazionale per l’ex Iugoslavia e quello per il Ruanda. In questi anni il tribunale penale internazionale per l’ex Iugoslavia ha indagato su crimini commessi da tutte le parti coinvolte nel conflitto portando all’arresto e all’incriminazione di numerosi imputati tra cui alcuni leader nazionali come l’ex presidente Serbo Milosevic, morto in cella a l’Aia prima della sentenza definitiva.   Nel 2002, dopo anni di lotte da parte di alcune organizzazioni umanitarie come Amnesty International e Non c’è Pace Senza Giustizia, a l’Aia è stata istituita la Corte Penale Internazionale che ha indagato o sta indagando su 43 casi di crimini contro l’umanità e che ha finora emesso 19 mandati di arresto con quattro condanne definitive e un’assoluzione.  Anche se nel mondo  i crimini contro l’umanità non stanno diminuendo, almeno in alcune aree geopolitiche, la Corte Penale Internazionale ha raggiunto un effetto deterrente nei confronti di alcuni dei responsabili di questi crimini, che non si prescrivono mai.
 

Una giornata mondiale per chi difende i diritti umani
Francesco Martone, Huffington Post, 08 Dec 2016

 
 
 
Costruire una rete di supporto e lanciare una mobilitazione per far fronte all'emergenza globale rappresentata dall'aggressione sistematica ai difensori dei diritti umani.
Questi gli obiettivi dell'iniziativa lanciata la settimana scorsa alla Camera dei Deputati, in occasione del convegno "Difendiamoli! Storie di difensori dei diritti umani e strategie di protezione" da un'ampia coalizione di associazioni ambientaliste e dei diritti umani e civili, giornalisti ed avvocati, Ong.
Un passo necessario ed importante, come ci ricordano le Nazioni Unite, che hanno dedicato una Giornata mondiale ai difensori dei diritti umani il 9 dicembre, un giorno prima della Giornata mondiale dei Diritti Umani. I lavori del Convegno sono stati aperti non a caso da un messaggio di Malek Adly, avvocato egiziano che seguì il caso di Giulio Regeni, di recente scarcerato, ma impossibilitato a lasciare il paese.
Gli ha fatto seguito Nibras Almamuri, Presidente dell'Iraqi Women Journalist Forum - Iraq. "Nel nostro paese siamo perseguitate, veniamo molestate sessualmente e picchiate per spingerci a lasciare le piazze, per farci abbandonare il nostro impegno politico e civile, ma noi non molliamo", ha raccontato Nibras, che assieme alla Ong Un ponte per... gestisce un progetto per donne giornaliste e human rights defenders a Baghdad.
Donne in prima fila, quindi, come Weeda Ahmad, afghana della Social Association of Social Justice Seekers, partner del Cospe e dei Cisda, che ha ripercorso puntigliosamente le tappe delle guerre che hanno insanguinato il suo paese, la violenza dello stato e quella talebana. Weeda ha costruito assieme a tante altre una rete di rifugi protetti e di monitoraggio della situazione dei difensori dei diritti umani nel paese.
Drammatica la testimonianza di Biram Dah Abeid dell'Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement mauritano, accompagnato dall'organizzazione "Non c'è Pace senza Giustizia", discendente di schiavi "neri" in un paese dove già i feti vengono venduti sul mercato degli schiavi.

Appel S’unir pour la paix en Syrie
Libération, 02 Dec 2016

223 organisations humanitaires internationales de toutes confessions lancent un appel mondial de la société civile aux Etats membres de l’ONU pour l'arrêt des bombardements sur Alep-Est.
 
 
Le Conseil de Sécurité a abandonné les Syriens. Depuis bientôt six ans de conflit, près d’un demi-million de personnes ont été tuées et 11 millions ont été déplacés de force sur le territoire. Plus récemment, la Russie, le régime et leurs alliés ont mené des attaques illégales sur Alep-Est, se souciant peu des quelques 250 000 civils piégés sur place. Les groupes armés d’opposition ont pour leur part continué de tirer des obus de mortier et d’autres projectiles sur les quartiers résidentiels d’Alep-Ouest, même si le haut-commissaire pour les droits de l’homme a rappelé que «les frappes aériennes indiscriminées du régime sur la partie Est de la ville par les forces gouvernementales et leurs alliés sont responsables de la très grande majorité des victimes civiles.» Les efforts pour mettre un terme à ces atrocités et tenir les auteurs de ces crimes pour responsables ont été bloqués à maintes reprises par la Russie, qui continue d’abuser de son pouvoir de veto au Conseil de Sécurité.
L’envoyé spécial des Nations unies pour la Syrie, Steffan de Mistura, a affirmé que l’ONU ne peut pas laisser se produire «un nouveau Srebrenica, un nouveau Rwanda, et à moins que quelque chose ne soit fait, c’est malheureusement ce que nous acceptons de laisser se produire sous nos yeux».Pourtant, rien n’indique que le blocage du conseil de sécurité touche à sa fin. Le gardien de la paix et de la sécurité internationales a manqué à la responsabilité que lui confie la charte des Nations unies, comme il a manqué à sa responsabilité de protéger le peuple syrien.
C’est pourquoi nous, coalition mondiale de 223 organisations de la société civile, appelons urgemment les Etats membres des Nations unies à intervenir et demander une session extraordinaire d’urgence de l’assemblée générale de l’ONU pour exiger la fin de toutes les attaques illégales à Alep et dans le reste de la Syrie, et garantir l’accès humanitaire immédiat et sans entrave pour acheminer de l’aide à tous ceux qui en dépendent. Les Etats membres devraient aussi considérer comment traduire en justice les auteurs de crimes les plus graves de droit international, quel que soit leur camp.
Nous saluons l’initiative du Canada cherchant à mobiliser l’assemblée générale de l’ONU, et nous exhortons tous les Etats membres à rejoindre les 73 pays, de tous les continents, qui la soutiennent déjà. Ces pays devraient travailler à une session extraordinaire d’urgence de l’assemblée générale le plus rapidement possible, tel que les Etats membres de l’ONU l’ont fait par le passé lorsque le Conseil de Sécurité était bloqué.
Nous appelons en particulier les 112 Etats signataires du code de conduite ACT «Responsabilité, cohérence et transparence», qui comprend un engagement pour soutenir «des actions opportunes et décisives» cherchant à prévenir ou mettre un terme à la perpétration de crimes de génocide, crimes contre l’humanité et crimes de guerre, à soutenir cette initiative et promouvoir activement des actions robustes au sein de l’assemblée générale des Nations unies. L’inaction ne peut pas être une option. Les Etats membres de l’ONU devraient faire usage de tous les moyens diplomatiques à leur disposition pour mettre un terme aux atrocités et protéger les millions de civils en Syrie. L’Histoire jugera sévèrement ceux qui ne se seront pas montrés à la hauteur de cette situation.

Difendiamoli! Oggi alla Camera un convegno sui difensori dei diritti umani
di Riccardo Noury, Corriere della Sera, 28 Nov 2016

Arrivano da alcuni tra i luoghi di maggiore crisi umanitaria e dove i diritti umani sono in costante violazione: Iraq, Siria, Afghanistan, Mauritania e India. Luoghi dove prendere la parola, organizzare campagne per la protezione dei diritti umani e difendere coloro che ne subiscono la violazione costa un prezzo spesso assai alto. Sono i difensori dei diritti umani, categoria che comprende un universo di uomini e donne blogger, giornalisti, avvocati e sindacalisti. Difendono i diritti umani e per questo hanno bisogno di essere difesi.
Questo è l’intento delle Ong italiane che hanno organizzato l’incontro odierno alla Camera dei deputati. Intento che diventerà una campagna dal titolo “Difendiamoli!”
Sono previsti gli interventi di Nibras Almamuri (presidente del Forum delle giornaliste irachene – Iraq), Weeda Ahmad (Associazione per la ricerca della giustizia sociale – Afghanistan), Aseem Trivedi (Campagna “Salva la tua voce” – India); Biram Dah Abeid (presidente dell’Iniziativa per la rinascita del movimento abolizionista – Mauritania);  Zaidoun al Zoabi (presidente dell’Unione delle organizzazioni siriane di soccorso medico – Siria); e Falah Alwan (Federazione dei sindacati dei lavoratori – Iraq).
L’evento è promosso da AIDOS, Amnesty International, Associazione Antigone – Coalizione Italiana Libertà e Diritti Civili, AOI, ARCI, ARCS, Associazione Articolo 21, CGIL , Comitato Giustizia per i Nuovi Desaparecidos, COSPE onlus, Fondazione Lelio e Lisli Basso-Issoco, Giuristi Democratici, Greenpeace Italia, Legambiente, Libera. Associazioni Nomi e Numeri contro le mafie, Non c’è Pace senza Giustizia, Radicali Italiani, Rete per la Pace, Terra Nuova, Peace Brigades International – Italia, Progetto Endangered Lawyers/Avvocati Minacciati, Unione Camere Penali Italiane e Un ponte per…).L’evento è promosso da AIDOS, Amnesty International, Associazione Antigone – Coalizione Italiana Libertà e Diritti Civili, AOI, ARCI, ARCS, Associazione Articolo 21, CGIL , Comitato Giustizia per i Nuovi Desaparecidos, COSPE onlus, Fondazione Lelio e Lisli Basso-Issoco, Giuristi Democratici, Greenpeace Italia, Legambiente, Libera. Associazioni Nomi e Numeri contro le mafie, Non c’è Pace senza Giustizia, Radicali Italiani, Rete per la Pace, Terra Nuova, Peace Brigades International – Italia, Progetto Endangered Lawyers/Avvocati Minacciati, Unione Camere Penali Italiane e Un ponte per…).

International Criminal Court urged to probe Duterte, killings
Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News, 23 Nov 2016

 
 
 
THE HAGUE - An international human rights group on Wednesday called for an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation against President Rodrigo Duterte and alleged extra-judicial killings in the Philippines. 
"Our greatest concern is that there appears to be crimes against humanity being committed in the Philippines with no attempt to stop them no attempt to investigate and prosecute them," Alison Smith from the group No Peace Without Justice told ABS-CBN News.
At the sidelines of the 15th Session of the ICC Assembly of States, No Peace Without Justice conducted a side event called "International Criminal Liability for Spoken Word Alone: Inducing and Soliciting Crimes against Humanity under Article 25(3)(b) of the Rome ICC Statute. A prima facie case against President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines".
The group said Duterte could be guilty of violating Article 25(3)(b) of the ICC's Rome Statute, which states that an individual is criminally responsible and liable for punishment for crimes within the Court’s jurisdiction if that person “orders, solicits or induces the commission of such a crime which in fact occurs or is attempted."
Since Duterte assumed the presidency, there have been at least 2,236 drug-related deaths. Of this number, 1,287 died in police operations while 788 were killed by unidentified assailants.
The group said the ICC should take action to curb "state-sponsored" violence in the Philippines. 
"There is no investigation currently taking place (at the ICC), the prosecutor has stated that she is watching the Philippines to see whether there are crimes that might be under the jurisdiction of the court, and for us this is a good thing because its part of her obligation to watch whats going on with the state parties and to say shes watching whats happening," said Smith.
ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda earlier said she is “deeply concerned" about the alleged killings and officials seemingly condoning them.
Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands Jaime Victor Ledda said he has not received any official queries from the ICC regarding the issue. "The important thing here is to convey the position of the Philippines with respect to the illegal drugs campaign and seek understanding of what were going through and trying to do to address the situation," he said.
Created in 1998 through the United Nations treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC has jurisdiction over 124 territories, including the Philippines, which became a signatory 16 years ago.
Duterte recently threatened to follow Russia in its withdrawal from the international tribunal. Smith said any withdrawal from the Rome Statute would be regrettable.  "The state parties here would prefer that doesn't happen...that being said, if the decision is taken to withdraw then we would be looking forward to welcome the Philippines back when its ready to rejoin the Rome Statute system," she said.

Il mondo si è accorto del genocidio degli yazidi
Adriano Sofri, Il Foglio, 29 Oct 2016

Dopo i riconoscimenti dell’Onu, il premio Sacharov assegnato a due giovani donne dalle storie esemplari per la tragedia del popolo yazida conferma l’impressione che finalmente l’ignoranza, l’indifferenza o la minimizzazione nei confronti di quel capitolo più orrendo della orrenda storia del jihadismo dell’Isis siano superate, e che il mondo, e anche una parte significativa del bel mondo, il che non nuoce, ne stia sposando, con più di due anni di ritardo, la causa.
Tre giorni fa è stato il Parlamento canadese a votare all’unanimità sulla natura della persecuzione degli yazidi come genocidio, e ad annunciare una disponibilità ad accoglierne dei rifugiati. Ma le persone che più concretamente fuori e dentro del Kurdistan iracheno che si impegnano a questa causa continuano a sottolineare una sproporzione forte fra i riconoscimenti simbolici e i fatti. I fatti vanno dalle risorse destinate al soccorso, a cominciare da quelle che possono ancora voler dire la liberazione di prigioniere abusate e torturate, alla rivendicazione del riconoscimento dei crimini di guerra commessi contro gli yazidi oltre che nelle sedi politiche nella sede pertinente della Corte Penale Internazionale. Questo giornale ha avuto un’attenzione frequente alla persecuzione degli yazidi come di altre minoranze, compresi i cristiani d’Iraq e di Siria delle varie confessioni.
Segnalo che a Roma, nell’ambito del congresso dei Radicali italiani, dunque in una sede aperta a tutti, domenica pomeriggio si discuterà delle persecuzioni delle minoranze in Iraq e Siria con l’intervento della signora Vian Dakhil, unica deputata yazida al parlamento iracheno, colei che per prima seppe gridare al mondo l’infamia che si stava abbattendo sulla sua gente, della signora Nareen Shammo, attivista e giornalista yazida, di Abdulahad Astepho, esponente assiro-caldeo siriano, di Rami Nakhla, capo del Syria Team di Non c’è pace senza giustizia, della giornalista Francesca Paci e di altre voci competenti.

Il Sudafrica annuncia l'intenzione di uscire dalla Corte Penale Internazionale
Radio Radicale, 22 Oct 2016

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Collegamento con Niccolò Figà Talamanca (segretario generale dell'Associazione Non c'è Pace senza Giustizia) realizzato da Lorenzo Rendi.

Christians and the impending crisis in Mosul
BarnabasAid, 20 Oct 2016

The situation in Iraq is now reaching crisis point as the Iraqi army, together with a loose coalition of forces, close in on Islamic State’s stronghold in the city of Mosul.
Barnabas Aid has in the last 24 hours spoken with one of the archbishops of Mosul. He stated that Christians who fled two years ago from the villages near Mosul, which have been liberated from Islamic State (IS) in the last few days, are unsure whether to return to their homes.   Their greatest concerns are the safety and security issues, but it is likely to be a month before the situation becomes clearer. The archbishop has specifically asked Barnabas Aid supporters to pray for these Christians to know God’s will.
As far as the situation in Mosul itself is concerned, he questions whether Christians will ever be allowed back in the city for reasons which we explain more fully in our editorial.
Those now fleeing the city of Mosul ahead of the impending battle are almost exclusively Sunni Muslims, as the Christians of Mosul were forced to leave in 2014 when IS took over. Although IS initially appeared willing to allow Christians in Mosul to have dhimmi status, shortly afterwards they gave them the choice of immediately converting to Islam, leaving or being executed. As a report by a coalition of well-respected human rights organisations stated: “After assuming control of Mosul, ISIS published a charter demanding that Christians pay a ‘jizya’ (a tax paid by non-Muslims) and imposing harsh punishments, such as public crucifixions. On 17 July, ISIS militants began to paint Christian homes with the Arabic letter ‘Nun’ (signifying Nasrani, a word used to refer to Christians) and with ‘property of the Islamic State’. On 18 July 2014, ISIS members announced in all of Mosul’s mosques that the Christian population had until noon of 19 July 2014 to leave the city or face execution.”
(Institute for International Law and Human Rights, Minority Rights Group International, No Peace without Justice and Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization Between the Millstones: The State of Iraq’s Minorities Since the Fall of Mosul (February 2015).

Bonino: "Quanta vitalità nelle donne africane e arabe. Sono le più inventive"
di Sara Ficocelli, Repubblica, 12 Oct 2016

Abbiamo incontrato l'ex Ministro degli Esteri e Commissario Europeo a Roma, durante l'incontro "Bambine, non spose" organizzato dall'Unicef in occasione della Giornata mondiale delle bambine e delle ragazze: "Non dobbiamo mollare sui diritti umani. Abbiamo già mollato abbastanza".
Come sarebbe il mondo se ogni donna avesse la possibilità di esprimere a pieno il proprio potenziale? Per rispondere a questa domanda bisognerebbe innazitutto risolvere il problema che accomuna 700 milioni di ragazze e bambine, costrette dalla famiglia a sposarsi ancora minorenni e quasi sempre trattate alla stregua di un oggetto, abusate, tenute ai margini, sia della società che della propria vita.
Per discutere del dramma delle spose bambine l'Unicef, in occasione della Giornata mondiale delle bambine e delle ragazze (11 ottobre), ha organizzato a Roma l'incontro "Bambine, non spose", invitando a parlare, con altri illustri relatori, la senatrice radicale Emma Bonino, già Ministro degli Esteri e Commissario Europeo.
Oggi si parla di matrimoni precoci. A che punto siamo della battaglia? "I diritti civili e umani vengono considerati purtroppo una politica di serie B, e difficoltà ulteriori si incontrano se parliamo di diritti umani al femminile. Ricordo quando incontrai la più giovane divorziata al mondo, Nojoon, 10 anni, dello Yemen. La bambina era riuscita a scappare dal marito e aveva trovato rifugio in un tribunale. Nessuno se la filava, finché un giorno un'avvocatessa la notò mentre piangeva, l'avvicinò e si offrì di difenderla. Vinse la causa. Ogni singolo episodio come questo significa moltissimo per le bambine e le donne di tutto il mondo".
Che cosa ha fatto negli ultimi anni in questo campo l'Italia? "Il nostro Paese negli ultimi venti anni è stato protagonista di una battaglia di cui noi Radicali, in particolare con Non c'è pace senza giustizia, siamo stati parte: di mutilazioni genitali femminili nel 1990 in molti Paesi non si poteva neanche parlare, oggi la discussione è aperta. E' stato avviato un processo di cambiamento fondamentale".

Qatar Mission in Geneva Discusses Civil Society’s Role in Syria
QNA / FANANEWS, 21 Sep 2016

Geneva, September 21 (QNA) – The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva, in collaboration with the permanent missions of France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, Liechtenstein and the Organization No Peace Without Justice organized today a side event on Syria: the UPR process and civil society’s role in promoting justice and accountability”, on the occasion of the 33th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The event focused on the situation of children, young people and women, the efforts to document the widespread violations committed in the last five years and on how achieve justice and accountability for the victims of these crimes, this side event aims at raising awareness about the role the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process can play in reinforcing the importance of including the Syrian civil society community in the pursuit of a political solution to the war in Syria.
The meeting serves as a reminder that the urgent priority of reaching a lasting political solution requires an inclusive and participatory process capable to ensure that the root causes of the conflict be addressed. It aims to articulate the request from Syrian civil society for freedom, democracy and accountability for violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation, which must be met to foster national reconciliation and a political solution.
Addressing the meeting, HE Ambassador Faisal bin Abdullah Al Henzab, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that in light of the serious deterioration of the situation of human rights and humanitarian situation in Syria, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and prisoners and millions of displaced persons and refugees, mostly women and children, and the complete collapse of the infrastructure and services, the international community must remember that all of this is the great price paid by the Syrians for demanding freedom and democracy and the elimination of injustice, tyranny and dictatorship.
HE Ambassador stressed that the solution to the Syrian crisis must be through empowering the Syrian people for the leadership of the political transition based on the Geneva Principles (1) and the relevant international resolutions, in order to build a new future for its country in a way that Bashar al-Assad does not have a role in it, while keeping with the state institutions.
He also stressed that the prevalence of impunity from accountability in Syria cannot continue neither morally nor legally, and that any failure or lack of seriousness in this aspect, will repeat violations without any deterrent in other places of the world, causing loss of justice and the rights of the oppressed.

After 13 years of war, Iraq’s minorities on verge of disappearing, rights groups warn
Daily Star / Reuters, 05 Jul 2016

Many of Iraq's minorities are on the verge of disappearance after 13 years of war, campaigners warned on Monday. "The impact on minorities has been catastrophic. Saddam was terrible; the situation since is worse. Tens of thousands of minorities have been killed and millions have fled for their lives," said Mark Lattimer, head of Minority Rights Group (MRG). Iraq's Christian population, which before 2003 numbered as many as 1.4 million, is now under 250,000, according to a report by MRG and other rights organisations.
Civil conflicts and sectarian tensions have engulfed the country since 2003 when a U.S.-led coalition toppled Saddam Hussein. In 2014 Islamic State militants declared a caliphate after capturing swathes of Iraq and Syria. Minorities including the Yazidi, Turkmen, Shabak, Christians and Kaka'i have been disproportionately affected by the recent violence, the report said. Tens of thousands have been murdered, maimed or abducted and many women and girls forced into marriage or sexual enslavement.
The report demands an end to impunity for crimes against minorities. It says planning should begin immediately for a post-Islamic State era to enable them to return to their homelands. It also calls for the protection of mass graves in areas captured from Islamic State and the deployment of forensic teams to investigate possible war crimes. The report, "No Way Home: Iraq's Minorities on the Verge of Disappearance", says Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga forces have also committed war crimes.
An estimated 3.4 million people are now uprooted inside Iraq. And as many as one in five displaced Iraqis interviewed by researchers felt they had no choice but to flee the country because of the lack of basic services and security. The authors warned that displacement could soar with an assault to retake Mosul from Islamic State - potentially uprooting another 1 million people and creating hundreds of thousands more refugees. The report on minorities is published by MRG, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, the Institute for International Law and Human Rights and No Peace Without Justice.

REVEALED: The city where ISIS now occupies all churches as Christians face wipe out
By Tom Batchelor, Express, 04 Jul 2016

Christians and other religious minorities face the prospect of annihilation in Iraq after more than a decade of sectarian bloodshed and the rise of Islamic State, leading charities have warned.
Crazed jihadis have looted, destroyed, or occupied all 45 churches in the city of Mosul, while targeting scores more across the country. Large numbers of Iraq's other ethnic and religious minorities have also been murdered, maimed or abducted, while unknown numbers of women and girls have been forced into marriage or sexual enslavement since the fall of Mosul to ISIS in June 2014. The shocking reality for Christians living in Iraq was revealed in a report, No Way Home: Iraq's Minorities on the Verge of Disappearance. It said there was a "large exodus of Christians" from Iraq immediately after the US invasion as community members were targeted for their religious differences as well as their perceived ties to the West. Two successive wars in Iraq - the first by the British and Americans in 2003, and the second with ISIS a decade later - has seen the Christian population in Iraq tumble from 1.4million before 2003 to under 250,000 today.
The report describes the "sweeping scale of the destruction of houses, shrines and other institutions belonging to Christians", including dozens of houses that were blown up in Mosul by ISIS fanatics. The charities add: "Since the fall of Mosul, ISIS has destroyed, occupied, converted to mosques, reused as ISIS headquarters or shuttered all Christian institutions in Mosul. All 45 churches and monasteries inside Mosul are reportedly now occupied by ISIS, who have looted, burned and destroyed property, in addition to removing the building's crosses."
Those Christians who have chosen to stay have been subjected to punitive taxes by ISIS. Christian women have also been targeted in heinous crimes including sexual assaults and the rape of girls as young as 12. The charities which co-wrote the report include the Minority Rights Group International, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation and Institute for International Law and Human Rights. They say ISIS fighters prefer younger women and girls as they are symbols of virginity and purity.
One Christian mother from Mosul who was interviewed for the study described being forced to 'marry' several ISIS militants who would rape and then 'divorce' her. She said: "We tried to fight them off, but in vain. They had their fun, and then they did it again. I was raped four times, the other girl three. On their way out, the men divorced us. Ten minutes later two more men, this time Iraqi, entered the room. We were married and raped again. That night I was married to eight different men and divorced eight times. Each man raped me three or four times."
Mark Lattimer, Minority Rights Group International's executive director, said: "Thirteen years of war have had devastating long-term consequences for Iraqi society. The impact on minorities has been catastrophic. Saddam was terrible; the situation since is worse. Tens of thousands of religious and ethnic minorities have been killed and millions have fled for their lives." Other minority religious and ethnic groups have also faced persecution. Most of those belonging to the Yazidi and Kaka'i communities have been forced from their homes and are now living as refugees either inside Iraq or abroad. Alison Smith, of No Peace Without Justice, added: "It's unthinkable that crimes of this magnitude and impact are being committed with total impunity. The Government of Iraq really needs to take urgent steps to provide redress to the victims - referring the situation to the International Criminal Court would be a good start."

Iraq's minorities 'on verge of disappearance' - rights groups
By Emma Batha, Reuters, 04 Jul 2016

Many of Iraq's minorities are on the verge of disappearance after 13 years of war, campaigners warned on Monday.
"The impact on minorities has been catastrophic. Saddam was terrible; the situation since is worse. Tens of thousands of minorities have been killed and millions have fled for their lives," said Mark Lattimer, head of Minority Rights Group (MRG).
Iraq's Christian population, which before 2003 numbered as many as 1.4 million, is now under 250,000, according to a report by MRG and other rights organisations.
Civil conflicts and sectarian tensions have engulfed the country since 2003 when a U.S.-led coalition toppled Saddam Hussein. In 2014 Islamic State militants declared a caliphate after capturing swathes of Iraq and Syria. Minorities including the Yazidi, Turkmen, Shabak, Christians and Kaka'i have been disproportionately affected by the recent violence, the report said.
Tens of thousands have been murdered, maimed or abducted and many women and girls forced into marriage or sexual enslavement.
"One cannot say anything positive about Saddam - he was a genocidal dictator, but for many minorities the situation is now much worse," said co-author Lattimer. The Yazidis hit the headlines in mid-2014 when Islamic State militants attacked them in northwest Iraq, killing, capturing and enslaving thousands. The jihadist group has shown particular cruelty to the Yazidis, whom they regard as devil-worshippers. Most Yazidis, along with another minority called the Kaka'i, have been forced from their traditional lands. Also highlighted, is the plight of the Shi'ite Turkmen and Shabak communities who have been driven south.
MASS GRAVES
The report demands an end to impunity for crimes against minorities. It says planning should begin immediately for a post-Islamic State era to enable them to return to their homelands. It also calls for the protection of mass graves in areas captured from Islamic State and the deployment of forensic teams to investigate possible war crimes. The report, "No Way Home: Iraq's Minorities on the Verge of Disappearance", says Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga forces have also committed war crimes.
An estimated 3.4 million people are now uprooted inside Iraq. And as many as one in five displaced Iraqis interviewed by researchers felt they had no choice but to flee the country because of the lack of basic services and security.
The authors warned that displacement could soar with an assault to retake Mosul from Islamic State - potentially uprooting another 1 million people and creating hundreds of thousands more refugees.
Lattimer said the upcoming Chilcot report on Britain's role in the Iraq war should reflect the devastating long-term consequences for Iraqi society. The long-delayed report is to be released on Wednesday. "Chilcot is expected to criticise 'post-invasion planning' but the U.K. government's biggest - and continuing - mistake has been to support successive Iraqi governments since 2003 in a sectarian war that has cost tens of thousands of civilian lives on both sides," Lattimer said.
The report on minorities is published by MRG, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, the Institute for International Law and Human Rights and No Peace Without Justice.

NPWJ Firmly Condemns Sentence Issued against Sheikh Ali Salman
Bahrain Mirror, 01 Jun 2016

No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) condemned "the astonishing increase in the sentence of the leader of the main Bahraini opposition party, Sheikh Ali Salman to nine years," expressing its undiminished solidarity and support for Salman, who "has consistently called for peaceful protest, condemned all forms of violence - including during the speech that formed the basis of his trial - and advocated for a fair and just democratic political system in Bahrain through the establishment of a genuine constitutional monarchy."
The organization added in its statement on Monday (May 30, 2016): "Today's shocking ruling, grounded on purely politically-motivated charges, clearly demonstrates Bahraini authorities' unabated determination to criminalise free speech and suppress any peaceful dissent."
Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, Secretary-General of No Peace Without Justice, said that "it also further confirms the fallacy of the Bahraini regime's claims to advance democratic reform, rule of law and respect of human rights in the country."
"This is also a highly dangerous move that can only set the country further along the dangerous path of political turmoil and disunity. In the face of what is rapidly becoming the realisation of the worst possible scenario for Bahrain, the response of the international community cannot continue to be weak and deaf to the plight of Bahraini citizens. So far, the Bahraini authorities have used this approach as a green light to persevere in their repressive and retaliatory practices against peaceful opposition leaders and human rights advocates," he further stated.
NPWJ urged the international community and the European Union (EU) to take immediate action and unequivocally condemn this latest blow to freedom of expression in Bahrain.
Failure to do so is, in reality, siding with tyranny and repression.
The organization further noted that "a truly democratic transition in Bahrain will be achieved only if all those who are committed to peaceful and nonviolent dialogue are able to contribute fully to the political process without fear of reprisals."
At the end of its statement, No Peace Without Justice demanded the international community "to support this process rather than turning a blind eye to another move clearly designed to thwart democracy and human rights" (Arabic Version).