October 7, 2025
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR) calls on the Iraqi authorities to open an urgent, transparent, and independent investigation into the assassination of human rights defender Hamsa Jassim, who was shot dead last night in the city of Kut by unidentified gunmen.
According to information obtained by IOHR from eyewitnesses and local sources, unidentified assailants opened fire on the human rights defender in the Al-Amiri area in central Kut, killing her instantly before fleeing to an unknown destination. Witnesses reported that the attack was carried out with speed and precision, suggesting that it was premeditated and professionally executed.
As of the time of this statement, no official clarification has been issued by the security authorities regarding the circumstances of the crime, raising IOHR’s concern about the recurrence of a familiar pattern in which perpetrators remain free and cases are simply registered against “unknown persons.”
IOHR emphasizes that this crime is not an isolated incident, but part of a continuous pattern of attacks against human rights defenders, activists, and professionals, which has escalated since the October 2019 protests and the subsequent wave of civic mobilization. In recent years, IOHR has documented multiple assassinations and repeated threats against activists in several provinces.
The Observatory considers the continued targeting of women working in the human rights field a deeply troubling development that reflects a deliberate attempt to silence independent voices working to expose violations and defend victims. Such actions constitute a clear violation of Iraq’s international obligations, particularly the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iraq ratified in 1971.
IOHR also warns that this crime will have a direct impact on the atmosphere of the upcoming parliamentary elections, creating an environment of fear and intimidation among voters, candidates, and civic actors. Elections cannot be conducted safely or freely when calls for reform and justice are met with bullets, and when those who defend rights are forced to pay for their work with their lives.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights calls on the Iraqi government and judicial authorities to:
Form an independent investigative committee under direct judicial supervision to uncover the circumstances of the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice within a defined timeframe.
Ensure the participation of the High Commission for Human Rights and civil society organizations in monitoring the investigations to enhance transparency.
Provide special protection for human rights defenders, activists, and journalists, particularly in provinces experiencing recurrent security tensions.
Disclose the findings of the investigation to the public and hold accountable anyone who fails to act or attempts to conceal the truth.
IOHR also calls on the Iraqi Bar Association and civil society organizations to take urgent action to adopt the case and exert both legal and media pressure to ensure follow-up and accountability.
Justice for Hamsa Jassim and for all victims of assassinations is not merely a humanitarian demand but a national necessity—essential to preventing the recurrence of such crimes, protecting Iraq’s fragile democratic process from collapse, and ensuring that the upcoming elections reflect free will rather than fear, violence, and impunity.
