Nazem Al-Asadi, the brother of the disappeared Ahmed Al-Asadi, said during an interview with the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, "My brother was heading from Babil Governorate towards the capital, Baghdad, on (February 1, 2023) and was kidnapped at 09:50 in the morning."
He added, "Before his arrival to Baghdad, about (5 km), an armed group in two cars intercepted him, tied him up, and took him to an unknown area."
Al-Asadi's brother talks about the group that "kidnapped" him and indicates that it is an experienced kidnapping group and that whoever kidnaps him does not wish the best for Iraq. The kidnapped are an armed group because the method of kidnapping is not usual."
The brother of the disappeared environmental activist blames the Iraqi government for not providing answers to the al-Asadi family until now.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights claimed, "It is not reasonable that the Iraqi authorities did not issue any attitude about this accident after nearly a week since the disappearance of a prominent activist in defense of the environment. This complacency with the lives of citizens cannot be justified."
It is imperative for the Iraqi authorities to present the results of the investigations for the al-Asadi family if the process of investigating has started. This negligence with the disappearance issue could be an incentive for the perpetrators to carry out similar operations in the future.
Facebook shows the last post written by Al-Asadi on his account was on (January 14, 2023), and he attached a picture of himself with the residents of the marshes and he wrote: “(.........) We have a harsh summer ahead and massive evaporation. The Ministry of Water Resources must rationally manage the water. Overcoming the previous ministry's operational arbitrariness, led to wasting water storage and exposing it to danger. The marshes dried up in a harsh and horrific manner.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights claimed that the disappearance of environmental activist Jassim Al-Asadi created a state of anxiety and fear among activists and human rights defenders of the possibility of a return to systematic targeting.
Accounts on social networking sites of activists, journalists, and content creators showed growing concerned and anxiety with the disappearance of Al-Asadi who has been making great efforts for years in defense of the environment in Iraq.
