The Iraqi Citizen: Between Freedom, Justice, and the Right to Live in Peace.

Human rights are neither a fleeting political issue nor a privilege granted by governments or political forces; rather, they are fundamental rights enshrined in international charters—foremost among them the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In light of this, the suffering endured by Iraqis over decades warrants a serious national and legal response, as well as international support that ensures respect for human dignity and the rule of law, transcending conflicts and divisions.

First: Protecting the Right to Freedom

Any citizen facing allegations of arbitrary arrest or a conviction issued without fair trial guarantees must be granted access to independent and transparent judicial review, alongside the right to a defense, the right to appeal, and the right to be informed of the grounds for their detention and conviction.

Justice must not be transformed into a tool for exclusion or retribution; instead, it must serve as a means to protect society while simultaneously ensuring redress for victims and the innocent.

Second: Reviewing Contested Judicial Cases

The figures circulating regarding the large number of detainees and convicted individuals—including women and those sentenced to death—necessitate an independent legal review of cases involving credible allegations of errors or violations of fair trial guarantees.

The objective is not to undermine the judiciary, but rather to reinforce its independence and integrity, ensuring that verdicts are grounded in fair procedures and evidence that can be scrutinized in accordance with the law. Third: The Right of Displaced Persons and Expatriates to Return

Displacement and forced migration have left profound humanitarian and social impacts on Iraqi society. Therefore, efforts must be made to ensure the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of displaced persons and expatriates to their areas of origin. This entails providing security, basic services, legal documentation, and livelihoods, while preventing any form of coercion or discrimination.

Fourth: General Amnesty and National Reconciliation

We call for a serious legal and societal dialogue regarding the issuance of a comprehensive general amnesty—subject to clear judicial criteria—to address cases legally eligible for amnesty, thereby mitigating the lingering effects of past conflicts and paving the way for national reconciliation.

Any such amnesty must exclude grave crimes, serious violations, murder, and other offenses legally ineligible for pardon, while upholding the victims' rights to truth, justice, and redress.

Fifth: No Impunity

Advocating for amnesty and reconciliation does not negate the principle of accountability. Anyone found individually responsible for committing crimes or grave human rights violations must be subject to an independent investigation and a fair trial in accordance with the law, regardless of their position, status, or affiliation. Justice must be comprehensive and not target any specific group over another.

Sixth: Justice for All Iraqis

The protection of human rights must extend to all Iraqis without discrimination based on affiliation, region, sect, ethnicity, or political stance. Justice that protects one party while ignoring the suffering of another does not achieve reconciliation; rather, it merely postpones the crisis. The true goal is to establish a state where citizens are equal before the law, and where state institutions alone hold the authority to enforce the law and protect rights.

Seventh: Rejecting Conflict and Violence

Iraq does not need further conflict or division; it needs a state with strong institutions, one that applies its laws fairly and is capable of protecting its citizens. Consequently, any political or social dispute must be addressed through peaceful and legal means, free from violence, intimidation, or exclusion.

Eighth: Transitional Justice and Social Reconciliation

Achieving transitional justice and rebuilding trust among citizens relies on four fundamental principles:

Revealing the truth.
Redressing the grievances of victims.
Holding those found responsible accountable under the law.
Guaranteeing the non-recurrence of violations.
Ninth: A Message to the International Community

We look to the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and relevant international organizations to continue monitoring the human rights situation in Iraq, to support independent legal and humanitarian investigative mechanisms in accordance with international standards, to back programs for the return of displaced persons, and to strengthen the independence of judicial institutions.

Ultimately, the issue is not one of one side triumphing over another, nor is it a conflict between the various components of Iraqi society; rather, it is a matter of:

An Iraqi citizen who wishes to live freely, securely, and with dignity in their homeland.
We seek an Iraq where imprisonment is not a substitute for justice, displacement is not a permanent fate, political disagreement is not grounds for exclusion, and the past is not a pretext for continued conflict.
Freedom, social justice, the right of return, and living in peace are not demands specific to any particular group, but rather fundamental human rights.
Iraq does not need a new conflict; instead, it needs a just state, a reconciled society, and a people living in freedom, security, dignity, and peace.