Joint Statement 4th EU-IRAQ Subcommittee on Human rights and Democracy
European External Action Service (EEAS)
17.07.2023
Strategic Communications
The 4th Sub-committee on Human Rights and Democracy was held on 11 July 2023, in Brussels. The European Union and Iraq reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation and discussed a number of human rights, democracy and governance related topics in a spirit of partnership, welcoming progress by Iraq on several topics and the commitment of the Iraqi government to remain engaged in the process of implementing the necessary reforms.
The EU informed about its policy on freedom of expression, association and assembly, inquired about accountability for violent episodes during protests, and expressed concern on reports of shrinking civic space, notably on the difficulties encountered by NGOs, Human Rights Defenders and journalists. The EU outlined its approach to advancing equality for all and its commitment to fight discrimination on any ground.
The EU welcomed the adoption of the Yazidi Survivors Law, called for the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement and reiterated its position on hate speech, including as regards the recent deplorable burning of a Quran in Europe. The EU encouraged further progress on women's rights, notably on the work towards an Anti-Domestic Violence law for adoption by the Iraqi Parliament. The EU underlined the importance of a comprehensive approach to the right to fair trial and raised concern over reported allegations of use of torture and other ill-treatment in police detention centres and prisons. The EU reiterated its opposition to the use of capital punishment in all circumstances.
The EU and Iraq also discussed cooperation in multilateral human rights fora, noting Iraq's constructive stance at the Universal Periodic Review and its candidacy for Human Rights Council membership in 2026-2028. Exchanges also covered the Iraqi Government's efforts to fight corruption, a shared priority, identifying the need for a follow-up discussion on the external dimension of the EU anti-corruption package.
Iraq stated its commitment to respecting the principles of human rights and the equality among Iraqis, regardless of gender, race or religion, according to the Iraqi Constitution. In this regard, Iraq reiterated its position on hate speech and considered the burning of the holy Quran as a provocative act. Iraq reaffirmed the right to life, security, freedom, equal opportunities and the right to fair trial. The role of the EU and its support for the Iraqi government in finding sustainable solutions for internally displaced persons was emphasized, as well as the fate of migrants, asylum seekers, ISIS members and their families of European origin, and the impact of climate change on the country, the fifth most affected world-wide. Iraq stressed the Government's commitment to implementing its reform program, which focuses on economy alongside security, with the fight against corruption featuring as the key priority across all sectors. Iraq expressed interest on enhanced technical assistance by the EU on areas relevant to the work of the Sub-Committee.
For its part, the EU encouraged the implementation of the Government's reform program and expressed its continued support to Iraq in building strong institutions and good governance, with solid legal and policy structures. The EU expressed its willingness to engage in the run-up to the Baghdad III Regional Conference fostering synergies between Iraq's reform agenda and European flagship strategies, such as the Global Gateway and the European Green Deal.
The upcoming provincial Iraqi elections featured throughout the discussions on electoral reform, with the EU proposing an EU Electoral Follow-up Mission to Iraq in the near future.
The EU and Iraq agreed to continue strengthening their partnership through the implementation of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
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