IRAQ: Amer AL KARTANI, Iraqi citizen missing for several years after his arrest by the intelligence services
On October 17, 2022, Iraq was called upon by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances to reveal the fate of Iraqi citizen, Amer Al Kartani, who has been missing since he was abducted from his family home on May 21, 2014.
The UN Committee, responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance ratified by Iraq on November 23, 2010, regularly calls on the State party to cooperate in the proceedings.
On 21 May 2014 at 1:30 p.m., members of the police intelligence service raided Al Kartani's home and arrested him without even giving him time to get dressed. He was dragged out of the house and forced into a van. Earlier, the same officers had mistakenly gone to his neighbors' house, who had redirected them to his home.
Since his arrest, the victim's family has been unaware of his whereabouts, despite inquiries made to the various authorities, including the Ministry of the Interior.
Mandated by the victim's family, Al Wissam Association and Alkarama had submitted the situation of Mr. Al Kartani to the UN Committee in an urgent communication dated 20 November 2017.
The recommendations of the CED
Despite the many years that have passed since the victim's disappearance, the Iraqi authorities have still not shed light on his fate. The UN body therefore called on Iraq to take all necessary measures to locate him and to investigate his disappearance without delay in accordance with its treaty obligations.
The Committee demanded that the relatives of the disappeared be informed of his situation and that they be immediately put in contact with him. In addition, the Committee requested to receive precise information, corroborated by official documents, about the search that will be conducted, adding that Amer Al Kartani's case will remain open until the government clarifies it.
The State party has until 11 November 2022 to provide clarification regarding the victim's situation.