Iraq: Officials announce release of kidnapped Baghdad activists May 10 /update 1

Event

According to an announcement by Iraqi officials on Wednesday, May 10, seven activists who were kidnapped in Baghdad in the early morning of May 8 have since been released. The seven men,  all of whom were college students actively involved in an anti-corruption campaign launched in August 2015, were abducted by hooded gunmen who raided their homes in the central Bab Al-Sharqi district.  According to other activists, the abduction was an attempt to intimidate members of the movement.

It remains unclear who was behind the kidnapping; local activists have accused a militia group active in Baghdad and southern Iraq. Authorities opened an investigation shortly after the incident occurred.

Context

Corruption is rampant in Iraq, with the country ranking 166 out of 176 in Transparency International’s corruption index. Anti-corruption protests are common throughout the country; Muqtada al-Sadr, a Shia cleric, regularly calls for protests in Baghdad, demanding the government reform the electoral commission ahead of the 2018 elections.

Cases of abductions are not rare in Iraq. In 2015, a Qatari hunting party was kidnapped in the south and held captive until April 2017, allegedly by an Iran-backed militia operating in the country.

The Iraqi parliament passed legislation in November 2016 to integrate militia groups into the army (Popular Mobilization Units [PMUs]) to assist in the fight against Islamic State (IS). The move provoked criticism from some politicians and civil society factions, who fear such groups could become an alternative state security apparatus. 

Advice

The security environment in Iraq remains complex. Although travel is permissible in some areas, other areas should be considered strictly off limits. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to all travel.