(Mosul) Well, after years of occupation by ISIS, the city of Mosul has been deemed liberated by the Iraqi Government. However, one bunch of do-gooders aren't happy. It seems that Amnesty International is upset at how the Iraqis and the coalition which helped them removed the scourge of Islamic state from the city, and they have knocked out a report in which to express their displeasure. In this report, they (AI) have knocked out a few recommendations:
- Amnesty International calls on pro-government forces to cease the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects, including artillery, mortars and IRAMs (Improvised Rocket Assisted Munition).
- Pro-government forces must do all they can to ensure the safe evacuation of civilians from the city.
- Members of the US-led coalition and the Iraqi government must conduct independent and transparent investigations where there is credible information that violations of international humanitarian law have taken place, prosecute those reasonably suspected of responsibility for war crimes in fair trials, and ensure that victims of violations and their families receive full reparation.
- Amnesty International calls on IS to end the practice of using civilians as human shields and to stop forcibly moving civilians into the battlefield and preventing their evacuation.
It never fails to amaze me how out of touch the liberal world is with reality. In 2013, when ISIS first came onto the world stage, AI issued a set of demands to ISIS. They were:
- Publicly condemn, from the highest level of leadership, all human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law committed by ISIS forces, including abductions, arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, unfair “trials”, summary killings, and the use of cruel and inhuman punishments such as flogging.
- Instruct all ISIS fighters and officials that such abuses will not be tolerated under any circumstances and those who commit such abuses will be held fully accountable.
- Allow independent international inspection of all places of detention and ensure that conditions and the treatment of detainees at all places conform to relevant international standards, such as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, and that all detainees are fully protected against torture or other ill-treatment in custody.
- End the use of punishments, such as flogging, that violate the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Immediately and unconditionally release all detainees held on account of their peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression or other human rights.
- Issue clear instructions to ISIS members to treat all detainees humanely, including captured fighters from rival armed groups and other armed forces, including the FSA and Syrian government forces, and afford all detainees the protection due to them under international humanitarian law.
- Inform families about the fate of missing relatives, including those who have died, disclosing the circumstances of their deaths, and the location of their burial place.
- Remove from the ranks ISIS fighters and officials suspected of responsibility for ordering or committing serious violations of international humanitarian law, including possible war crimes.
- Co-operate with independent and impartial investigations into violations of international humanitarian, including by the independent international Commission of Inquiry
