Ibrahim Al Jerifi disappeared since arrest at Al Razaza checkpoint in September 2015

Ibrahim Al Jerifi disappeared since arrest at Al Razaza checkpoint in September 2015

Al Jerifi was arrested by Hezbollah militias after being stopped at Al Razaza Checkpoint while fleeing from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) with his family in September 2015. After stopping the group and inspecting Al Jerifi’s ID, the militias confirmed that he was not on their wanted list. However, upon learning that he was travelling from Fallujah, they arrested him on the premise that he was a member of ISIL.

On September 5, 2015, Al Jerifi was travelling by car from Fallujah towards Baghdad with his wife, mother-in-law and sister-in-law in order to flee the violence caused by ISIL’s occupation of the area.

When they arrived at Al Razaza checkpoint, close to Amiriya, a city in the Fallujah district of Al Anbar province, they were stopped by Hezbollah militias, who had their faces covered with black and green cloth. They asked for Al Jerifi’s ID, and after checking, confirmed that he was not on their wanted list. However, when they found out that the family was fleeing Fallujah, they asked Al Jerifi to step out of the car, alleging that he was a member of ISIL.

The Hezbollah militias are part of the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) – an umbrella organisation composed of various militias that supported the Iraqi armed forces during the fight against ISIL. A prime minister’s decree issued on March 8, 2018 formally incorporated the group into the country’s security forces.

After arresting Al Jerifi, the militias instructed the driver to take the women back to Fallujah. When the women pleaded not to be sent back to the area, the militias threatened to open fire on them.

In October 2015, Al Jerefi’s family enquired about his fate and whereabouts at the Central Criminal Court in Baghdad, the Ammariah Court in Fallujah and the ICRC, but to no avail. 

Timeline

April 4, 2019: MENA Rights Group and Al Wissam Humanitarian Assembly request urgent intervention of UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances.
October 2015: Al Jerifi’s family enquire about his fate and whereabouts at the Central Criminal Court in Baghdad, the Ammariah Court in Fallujah and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
September 5, 2015: Al Jerifi is arrested by Hezbollah militias.