The largely untold story of Iraq has been the struggle of Iraqis to make things better. It’s the story of those who sought to work non-violently for peace and justice and human rights. The story of human rights defenders who sought to document and publish the truth, to help and support the families of victims, to bring help to the most vulnerable.

Further Information

. This collection of personal testimonies from Iraqi human rights defenders seeks to make amends for that neglect

Their experiences bring home the terrible cost paid by those who have tried to stand up for human rights and the rule of law. Their courage is inspirational and their dedication has laid the seeds of hope for the future of Iraq.

“Stories of killing and murder in Iraq no longer summon up the same degree of fear and terror in us. We Iraqis have become accustomed to them, after hearing dozens, hundreds even, of accounts. It has come to the point where the spectre of death is now practically the only visitor to the Iraqi home, the unannounced and half expected guest. There seems no relief from the cycle of killing, as the Iraqi people await its end with exhausted patience” said Shalaa Hishmat, an Iraqi journalist and human rights defender whose husband was one of the many journalists assassinated, at the launch of the report.

Front Line Iraq: Testimonies of Human Rights Defenders (English & Arabic)