Iraq: Lawyers arrested for work in Daesh courts

NEW YORK– 10 August 2017: Iraqi authorities have issued arrest warrants for at least 15 private lawyers since July 24, 2017, on charges of Daesh affiliation for their past work in Daesh courts, Human Rights Watch said Thursday.

One senior judge told Human Rights Watch that since the warrants were issued, private lawyers had stopped taking cases of any defendants that they believed to be Daesh-affiliated, only taking cases of people they thought were innocent, it added.

As a result, only state-appointed lawyers are taking on the cases of those believed to be Daesh-affiliated.

“The authorities should immediately explain why they are detaining and charging these lawyers,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “They need to make it clear that Iraqi lawyers should not be afraid to defend Daesh suspects".