UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A new UN report published on Tuesday shows that while considerable effort has been made by Iraqi authorities to bring former ISIL (Da'esh) terrorist fighters to justice, there are "serious concerns" about the fairness of the proceedings.

According to Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the joint report by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the UN Human Rights Office acknowledged that judicial proceedings against Da'esh defendants were generally conducted in an orderly manner, and were well organized, and judges were routinely prepared with investigation files.

But it also found that violations of fair trial standards placed defendants at a serious disadvantage compared to the prosecution, with ineffective legal representation and limited possibilities to present or challenge evidence, he added.

For example, UNAMI observed a trial in Erbil where the wife of an ISIL fighter was sentenced to three years' imprisonment based on an informer's evidence that she used to cook meals for her husband and other fighters.

Furthermore, the report stated "the over-reliance on confessions, with frequent allegations of torture that were inadequately addressed-while constituting a human rights violation in itself-further added to the concerns."

"Those responsible for widespread atrocities against the Iraqi population must be held to account for their crimes, and it is important that the victims see that justice is delivered. At the same time, those accused have the right to a fair trial, and these standards must be strictly applied," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.

ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) is also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or simply the Islamic State.

The UN organizations called on Iraq to revise the anti-terrorism laws to comply with international law, and ensuring defendants have sufficient time to prepare and present their cases.

The terrorist group ISIL waged a campaign of widespread violence against the Iraqi population between June 2014 and December 2017, holding large swathes of territory across the country, as well as northern Syria, until its military defeat.

ISIL Fighters committed atrocities, including mass murder, abductions, sexual slavery and destruction, which may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and possibly genocide. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)