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GENEVA
(16 June 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on
Monday condemned the reported cold-blooded executions of hundreds of
Iraqi hors de combat soldiers, as well as civilians including
religious leaders and people associated with the Government, in recent
days by forces allied with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL).“Based on corroborated reports from a number of sources,
it appears that hundreds of non-combatant men were summarily executed
over the past five days, including surrendered or captured soldiers,
military conscripts, police and others associated with the Government,”
Pillay said. “Although the numbers cannot be verified yet, this
apparently systematic series of cold-blooded executions, mostly
conducted in various locations in the Tikrit area, almost certainly
amounts to war crimes.”According to information received by the UN human rights
staff on the ground, in the past few days, forces affiliated with ISIL
also executed the Imam of the Grand Mosque in Mosul on 12 June for
refusing to pledge allegiance to ISIL. Reports of additional executions
of religious leaders have also been received, including on Saturday, 14
June, when 12 local Imams were allegedly executed in front of Al Israa
mosque, also in Mosul, for the same reason.“The provocative language used by ISIL, which has been
talking about ‘liquidating herds of sheep’ and inciting sectarian
tensions is clearly intended to sow further chaos and bloodshed in the
country,” Pillay added. “The people of Iraq have shown remarkable
resilience in the face of constant suffering over the past decade. This
new wave of fighting and extreme violence is very dangerous, not just to
Iraq but to the entire region. I urge all the country’s political and
religious leaders to unite in their opposition to these efforts to rip
the country apart along sectarian or geographic lines.”ENDSTo learn more about the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, please visit http://www.ohchr.orgFor more information or media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org ) or Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9769 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org)
(16 June 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on
Monday condemned the reported cold-blooded executions of hundreds of
Iraqi hors de combat soldiers, as well as civilians including
religious leaders and people associated with the Government, in recent
days by forces allied with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL).
it appears that hundreds of non-combatant men were summarily executed
over the past five days, including surrendered or captured soldiers,
military conscripts, police and others associated with the Government,”
Pillay said. “Although the numbers cannot be verified yet, this
apparently systematic series of cold-blooded executions, mostly
conducted in various locations in the Tikrit area, almost certainly
amounts to war crimes.”
staff on the ground, in the past few days, forces affiliated with ISIL
also executed the Imam of the Grand Mosque in Mosul on 12 June for
refusing to pledge allegiance to ISIL. Reports of additional executions
of religious leaders have also been received, including on Saturday, 14
June, when 12 local Imams were allegedly executed in front of Al Israa
mosque, also in Mosul, for the same reason.
talking about ‘liquidating herds of sheep’ and inciting sectarian
tensions is clearly intended to sow further chaos and bloodshed in the
country,” Pillay added. “The people of Iraq have shown remarkable
resilience in the face of constant suffering over the past decade. This
new wave of fighting and extreme violence is very dangerous, not just to
Iraq but to the entire region. I urge all the country’s political and
religious leaders to unite in their opposition to these efforts to rip
the country apart along sectarian or geographic lines.”
