Iraqi authorities raided the headquarters of a Human Rights organization

Iraqi authorities raided the headquarters of “Ayna Hakke (Where are my rights)” organization, on 28^th May and arrested 11 members and drove them away blindfold to an unknown place

Cairo - ANHRI has condemned the raid of the Iraqi authorities on the headquarters of the civil society organization “Ayna Hakke”, and the arrest of 11 members including the general secretary in suspect of their ties to the organizers of Al Tahrir square demonstrations.”

Iraqi security forces had besieged the headquarters of “Ayna Hakke” organization in Al Midan area in central Baghdad and damaged the headquarters supplies and computers before they detained 11 members including the the secretary general Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed and drove them away blindfold to an unknown place. The detainees include Sherin Taher Naji (Al Najjar), Kassem Mohamed Hanoun, Al Arkam Hassan Salman, Adnan Al Sheriffi, Mohamed Hamid, Emad Fazaa, Adnan Abd Ali, Alaa Nabil and others.

The Iraqi authorities had also arrested last Friday the four activists Moayed Al Tayeb, Ali Al Jaff, Ahmed Al Boghdadi and Jihad Jalil from Al Tahrir Square while they were protesting against the government failure over the past 100 days to fulfill its promises from their perspective.

Established in 2005 by a group of independent Iraqi intellectuals, “Ayna Hakke” organization is dedicated to observe human rights violation in Iraq.

This suppressive measure taken by the Iraqi authorities is seen as a preemptive tactic against the anticipated protests due break out in 10 June 2011 in response to the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri Al Malki, failure to fulfill his promise over the past 100 days to make reforms, end corruption, reduce unemployment and improve living conditions.

ANHRI has declared “The civilized dialogue should exclude all aspects of arrest, assault, and kidnap and the Iraqi authorities should take serious step towards building new Iraq via respecting human rights specially the freedom of opinion and expression in a peaceful frame.”

ANHRI calls the Iraqi authorities to release all detained activists immediately and unconditionally, stop raids on headquarters of civil society organizations and other human rights organizations and provide strong guarantees to allow freedom of opinion and expression without arresting or chasing activists.