Iraq: Attack against women's rights organisation, Asuda

Your Excellency,

I am is deeply concerned following a gun attack against women's rights organisation, Asuda, on 11 May 2008. Founded in 2000, Asuda is a non-governmental organisation based in Sulaymaniyah that provides protection for women victims of domestic violence.

On 11 May 2008, at approximately 11.00pm, unidentified gunmen reportedly opened fire on Asuda's protection shelter from an unoccupied house nearby. A mother of three who is a resident at the shelter was shot by three bullets and was hospitalised for treatment.

Asuda's protection shelter has been in operation since 2002 and has supported over 470 women victims of domestic violence since then. The organisation has been the subject of threats in the past relating to its work in the defence of women's human rights, but the attack of 11 May 2008 was the first human rights violation of this kind.

I believe that Asuda has been targeted because of its legitimate work in defence of human rights, in particular the rights of women in Iraq. I see the attack against Asuda's protection shelter for women as part of an ongoing trend of harassment against human rights defenders in Iraqi Kurdistan. I am concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of all members of Asuda.

I urge the authorities in Iraq to:

1. Initiate an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the gun attack against the Asuda's protection shelter, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice;

2. Guarantee the security and physical and psychological integrity of all members of Asuda;

3. Ensure in all circumstances that human rights defenders and organisations in Iraq, are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

I respectfully remind you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.

I would particularly draw your attention to Article 11: “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of his or her occupation or profession (...),” and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threat, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”

Yours sincerely,