Speaker: Thank you. I speak on behalf of Association Ma’onah for Human Rights and Immigration and the Geneva Center for justice. An NGO defending human rights in Iraq since the criminal U.S. invasion of 2003. But 20 years later, we still recognise two main factors which must urgently be addressed. The first is the malfunctioning of the political [inaudible] system imposed on the Iraqi people. Most minorities were ignored, leading to the proliferation of partisan organisations. The militias are weakening the central government, they are accentuating corruption, they are ignoring the rule of law, and they are dangerously threatening the rights of minorities. The second factor is the continued foreign interference in Iraq's internal affairs. Favouring certain sectarian groups. This interference adds to the instability of the country. We specifically denounce interventions from the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose affiliate militias are attacking and targeting specific minorities on an unprecedented level. The involvement is contrary to international law and should be condemned by the international community. We are immensely concerned about Iraq’s inability to guarantee security and respect for human rights for all its ethnic and religious groups. We urge a total change of system, separating religion from politics altogether. In addition, new legislation that is effective in practice and not only in the law, must be designed to protect individual and community rights. Finally, we condemn all foreign interferences, weakening Iraq and threatening its people and request the international community to act upon. Note the comments of the Representative of Iraq earlier. We share the condemnation of crimes against humanity by [inaudible]. The situation is much more nuanced. Other groups, not only terrorist group operate, some, without accountability. Our task here is precisely to remind the international community and the states concerned that civil societies are not fooled. We condemn [inaudible] but the responsibility of the states in these crimes must not be removed by hiding behind this narrative. I thank you.

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