Iraq: government-backed forces holding the villagers and beat them

Iraq: government-backed forces holding the villagers and beat them

Looted their entire herd of sheep village

November 22, 2016 0:01 EST

(Beirut) - The "Human Rights Watch said today , " The prominent group within the government - backed "popular crowd" forces of the Iraqi was detained and beaten pastors from a village near Mosul - including a child - in the November 3, 2016, on suspicion of belonging to the "Islamic State "(also known as" Daesh ").
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A man walking along the road east of Mosul with a large herd of sheep to escape from areas controlled by Daesh.
© 2016 John Beck

Victims and witnesses said members of the "League of the Righteous," detained 10 patrons and beat at least five of them, including a child, sometimes repeatedly. The shepherds had fled from the village Aadaah, sleepy and detained for several hours in the village of Ghzayel. Fighters launched them, but they took them about 300 head of sheep, herd the entire village.

Said Lama Fakih , deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch: "Civilians fleeing Daesh lives at risk displays in search of safety. On government troops to do everything in its power to protect and assist them, not abuse and looting."

In November 10, Human Rights Watch visited a camp sheltering displaced people south of Mosul, and interviewed 10 residents Aadaah, 35 km south-west of Mosul, had fled from their homes the morning of November 3 in a group of nearly 500 people after it inflicted airstrike damage to some houses. The region is still under the control of Daesh, but his fighters did not prevent the villagers from leaving.

The group walked about 10 kilometers to the south Vaaatardahm fighters identified themselves as from the "Brigade Alotfov", a small force to PDF crowd, Tsh in the village, residents said. Villagers said that the fighters searched the group, checked their identity cards and put them in their cars and walked south toward the stump camp for displaced persons. But a group of 10 patrons continued to walk with about 300 head of sheep of the village.

When he arrived , villagers who were taken in cars to Ghzayel , seven kilometers farther south, at about 14:00, intercepted by fighters from the League of the Righteous, identified themselves and were carrying the slogan of the group on the banners and badges. He said five men from the group Human Rights Watch that they heard the fighters accuse the group of belonging Daesh's, and they said they Christtdzounam or kill them. But the commander of the intervention of the brigade Alotfov ordered elements headbands fighters of the people of the right to leave the villagers in their situation, they did. The cars arrived to stump camp, 65km south of Mosul, about 16:00, according to the villagers.

He said three men and two children (aged 14 and 15) they were within ten sponsors who stayed with the sheep. They said they arrived at the Ghzayel walk about 16:00, Vhazarethm 6 of the League of the Righteous Odechlohm fighters and forcibly brought to an abandoned house nearby, and interrogated them separately. Sponsors said that the guards asked them if they belong Daesh for or if they know others belong. Child aged 15 years and said that one of the fighters hit him on the back and head while being interrogated. Another man said (40 years), they slapped him on the cheek during interrogation as well. Others said that they had been beaten during the initial interrogation.

Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch

The transfer of the two guards then 5 of detained men to another house nearby, and they left five others, including two children, in the first house and yard with them sheep. The other two guards and fighters then interrogate the men who were transferred to a second home, and they drive them out for questioning one by one. One of them said (20 years), he was the first to take to the outside, for a period of approximately 15 minutes fighters accused him of belonging to Daesh, and they continued to ask him the same questions repeatedly as they beat him with their hands and kicked him which is on the ground, and fired a shot over his head.

Another (22 years), he was the last to come out for questioning. He said that six militants interrogated him and confronted him charges for about an hour, and Osagtoh their feet to the ground and kicked him and beat him with sticks. He said they stopped him on his feet after that, and pulled his hands behind his back and continued to beat him on the legs with a stick. He also said he felt three electric shocks in his hands at least. His eyes were Mmlatan tears, he says: "I did my other things," without explaining further.

After the beating, he was not able to walk, so they hired fighters from three other villagers to take him to the truck, where his legs covered with a blanket. Fighters ordered the other men and the two children climb in the truck, and marched them to the stump camp. Fighters captured the sheep, and the men feared the question of why, or how Sastrdjaunha. The acquisition of the entire herd of sheep leaving villagers without livelihood.

He said one of the men (22 years) that, when they arrived at the camp around 20:00, transfer it quickly to the ambulance and then to a clinic in the camp, where doctors told him that his left leg is broken. I watched Human Rights splint holds. He said doctors asked him how it broke his leg, but he did not tell them for fear of reprisals.

Sponsors interviewed by Human Rights Watch said that one of the men who were transferred to the second house, and Human Rights Watch, you can meet him, looked pained on board the vehicle, and said that fighters beat him on his feet. Transfer is the other ambulance. They said the other two men who also were taken to the second house did not look like them any attack marks.

Human Rights Watch said that all armed groups and security forces to abide by international law and respect the absolute prohibition on torture and ill-treatment. It considers ban on torture and ill-treatment of the basic prohibitions of international human rights law, and there are no exceptional circumstances can justify torture. Iraq is a party to major international conventions prohibiting torture in all circumstances, even during emergencies recognized, they are obliged to investigate and prosecute those involved. Torture, cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity of all war crimes.

It prohibits the parties involved in armed conflict looting and the acquisition of private property by force of civilians in areas Evtkunha of the enemy, for their personal use, and that is tantamount to a war crime.

On the Iraqi authorities to investigate all suspected crimes, including looting and torture and killings and other abuses committed by any party to the conflict is fast, transparent and effective, and including the highest levels of responsibility. The more evidence to prove criminal responsibility have emerged, it must be followed by trials. Must be supervisors of investigations and who make decisions relating to the trial, independent of the parties covered by the investigation, and outside the military chain of command, and their decisions are not subject to any political interference. Also on the authorities to ensure the safety of witnesses.

Fakih said: "Civilians fleeing Daesh leave almost everything behind. To rob them of the few fighters property that they were able to retrieve them is inexcusable."

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