During the past few months accounts of arbitrary arrests, constant executions, and torture of prisoners – particularly the torture and rape of female detainees – have increased exponentially. Simultaneously there has been a marked increase in pressure and crackdowns on various sectors of Iraqi society by the police and security services. A series of protest rallies against Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, which had decreased after the crackdown on demonstrations last year, have now been reignited. Finally, in recent weeks, following attacks against the office and home of Finance Minister Dr. Rafe Al Issawi, uprisings and public protests against the Iraqi government exploded in Al Anbar Province and spread to several other provinces.

Please click here to read Struan Stevenson’s full report to the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq on the political crisis and civil uprisings happening in the country.