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Speak Up for Justice for Journalists in Iraq

Target: KRG Minister of Human Rights, Dr. Yousif M. Aziz
Sponsored by: Care2

Several journalists and writers from the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq have received death threats in recent days, despite a recent statement by U.S. General Petraeus saying that violence in Iraq is declining to almost "normal levels". One of the men, Souran 'Omar, was on a list of journalists at risk of being killed, apparently for criticizing the political parties in the region. Two others on the list, journalist Souran Mama Hama and academic 'Abd al-Sattar Taher Sharif, have been killed.

130 journalists have been killed and 51 have been kidnapped since the war in Iraq began five years ago. The victims are of many nationalities, but Iraqis are grossly over represented.

Journalists in the Kurdistan region of Iraq who criticize the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) are at particular risk. Journalists have been arbitrarily arrested and detained without trial, and sometimes tortured. Some have been abducted in the street and beaten by armed men wearing civilian clothes, and then released a few hours or days later.

This abuse of civilians needs to stop. Journalists are an invaluable group to the public who deserve justice and security.

Tell the KRG Minister of Human Rights to stop this abuse of human rights now -- and to uphold the right to freedom of expression in Iraq.

deadline: Ongoing...
goal: 10,000

10,690
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To: KRG Minister of Human Rights,
Dr. Yousif M. Aziz

Your Excellency,

We are deeply concerned about reports that a "death list" exists with names of journalists critical of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq.

We ask for the KRG authorities to take action and identify those responsible for creating the list and to bring them to justice.

We urge you to take all possible steps to ensure the safety of Souran 'Omar, Nehad Jami, Kusrat 'Abd al-Rahman and other journalists and writers named in the list and to uphold the right to freedom of expression, including the right to express criticism of the KRG.

We urge the KRG authorities to disclose the details of the investigation into the murders of journalist Souran Mama Hama and academic 'Abd al-Sattar Taher Sharif.

Journalists, or any other civilian for that matter, should not have to live in fear for speaking out. Please take action and work towards curbing these human rights violations.

[Your comments]

Sincerely,
[Your name]

We signed the “Speak Up for Justice for Journalists in Iraq” petition!

# 10,550:

11:15 pm PDT, Sep 17, Lesley Dombrow, Connecticut

# 10,549:

10:42 am PDT, Sep 17, Joseph O'Brien, New Jersey

# 10,548:

6:13 am PDT, Sep 17, Ed Jukes, United Kingdom

# 10,547:

6:12 am PDT, Sep 17, Natalie Chow, United Kingdom

# 10,546:

5:55 am PDT, Sep 17, Milan Ivanisevic, Bosnia And Herzegovina

# 10,545:

2:37 am PDT, Sep 17, Helena Dworeck, Finland

# 10,544:

11:14 pm PDT, Sep 16, Ben Rall, Oregon

# 10,543:

4:24 pm PDT, Sep 16, Danielle Duda, Mexico

# 10,542:

11:45 am PDT, Sep 16, Megan Hamilton, California

# 10,541:

9:36 am PDT, Sep 16, Yolanda Taylor, Georgia

# 10,540:

5:58 am PDT, Sep 16, Cristina Freniche Vel�zquez, Spain

# 10,539:

4:42 pm PDT, Sep 15, Ken Seidman, Canada

# 10,538:

4:18 pm PDT, Sep 15, J�lia Cristiane Silva, Brazil

# 10,537:

9:07 am PDT, Sep 15, Tiffany Avila, New Mexico

# 10,536:

3:26 am PDT, Sep 15, Patricia Wright, Australia
civilians shouldn't have to live in fear.

# 10,535:

12:32 am PDT, Sep 15, Marija Tkalec, Croatia

# 10,534:

11:14 pm PDT, Sep 14, Bonita S, Illinois

# 10,533:

9:34 pm PDT, Sep 14, Nicholas Rushin, Pennsylvania

# 10,532:

4:47 pm PDT, Sep 13, Alan Jacobson, California

# 10,531:

2:14 pm PDT, Sep 13, Dario Iacuitti, Italy

# 10,530:

11:35 am PDT, Sep 13, Gerard Zaratan, California

# 10,529:

6:00 am PDT, Sep 13, Ingrid Larsson, United Kingdom

# 10,528:

5:28 am PDT, Sep 13, Katarzyna Jarnut, Poland

# 10,527:

5:14 am PDT, Sep 13, Gabriela Varveri, Romania

# 10,526:

12:54 pm PDT, Sep 12, William Dusold, Maryland

# 10,525:

7:37 pm PDT, Sep 11, Tadeo Lopez, Argentina
I say no to human abusses, not anymore

# 10,524:

1:22 pm PDT, Sep 11, Grace T., Pennsylvania

# 10,523:

12:32 pm PDT, Sep 11, Audrey Johnson, California

# 10,522:

9:34 am PDT, Sep 11, Name not displayed, Georgia

# 10,521:

8:35 am PDT, Sep 11, Charlie Hogue, Iowa

# 10,520:

7:09 am PDT, Sep 11, Cindy Alderman, North Carolina

# 10,519:

4:12 am PDT, Sep 11, Ida Di Martino, Italy
We urge you to take all possible steps to ensure the safety of Souran 'Omar, Nehad Jami, Kusrat 'Abd al-Rahman and other journalists and writers named in the list and to uphold the right to freedom of expression, including the right to express criticism of the KRG. Sincerely, Ida

# 10,518:

9:24 pm PDT, Sep 10, Zoey Avery, New York

# 10,517:

3:36 pm PDT, Sep 10, Cecilia Viola, Italy
I urge you to take all possible steps to uphold the right to freedom of expression, including the right to express criticism of the KRG. I urge the KRG authorities to disclose the details of the investigation into the murders of journalist Souran Mama Hama and academic 'Abd al-Sattar Taher Sharif. Journalists, or any other civilian for that matter, should not have to live in fear for speaking out. Please take action and work towards curbing these human rights violations. Sincerely Ms Viola Cecilia

# 10,516:

2:38 pm PDT, Sep 10, Amber Seber, Hawaii

# 10,515:

1:54 pm PDT, Sep 10, Corinne Broskette, Florida

# 10,514:

11:03 am PDT, Sep 10, Rowena Filzmaier, Germany
Nobody has the right to harm people who don't harm anyone!

# 10,513:

9:56 am PDT, Sep 10, Name not displayed, Syrian Arab Republic

# 10,512:

9:43 am PDT, Sep 10, Sarah Hill, Utah

# 10,511:

9:16 am PDT, Sep 10, Manuella Whittaker, United Kingdom

# 10,510:

2:47 am PDT, Sep 10, Carole Wesley, United Kingdom

# 10,509:

1:16 am PDT, Sep 10, Karyn Wilcox, Australia

# 10,508:

6:58 pm PDT, Sep 9, Nuno Lima Santos, Portugal

# 10,507:

4:07 pm PDT, Sep 9, Sylvia Bennetts, Oregon

# 10,506:

8:53 am PDT, Sep 9, Pepe luis Crespo, Mexico

# 10,505:

8:03 am PDT, Sep 9, Nina Crane, United Kingdom

# 10,504:

1:58 am PDT, Sep 9, �� , Russian Federation

# 10,503:

1:27 am PDT, Sep 9, Mariagrazia Adami, Italy

# 10,502:

1:08 am PDT, Sep 9, Connie Leslie, Spain

# 10,501:

2:57 pm PDT, Sep 8, Harrison P Bertram, Illinois

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