Montaser Al Saadoun, disappeared in Mosul since 2017

Montaser Al Saadoun, disappeared in Mosul since 2017

On 15 May 2017, Montaser Al Saadoun was at his friend’s house in West Mosul when several members of the Iraqi Federal Police raided the house and arrested him. Al Saadoun’s family wasinformed that they had to give money to a Federal Policeagent if they wanted to obtain more information regarding Al Saadoun’s fate and whereabouts. When the family explained that they were unable to do so, they were told that Al Saadoun was being tortured.

On May 15, 2017 Montaser Al Saadoun was at his friend’s house in the Al Yarmouk neighbourhood in West Mosul when several members of the Iraqi Federal Police raided the house and arrested him. His friend witnessed the arrest and was later able to inform Al Saadoun’s family.

The arrest was conducted by agentsof the Iraqi Federal Police wearing military uniforms, in the context of mass arrests carried out by Iraqi state forces after Mosul was liberated from the Islamic State. In 2016, the Federal Police was one of several Iraqi forces accused of conducting arbitrary arrests, torture and extrajudicial executions during the Mosul battle.

One week after the arrest, someone who identified himself as a member of the Federal Police called Al Saadoun’s family, using Al Saadoun’s mobile number, and informed them that Al Saadoun was being detained by the Federal Police. He requested increasing amounts of money to reveal the whereabouts of Al Saadoun. When Al Saadoun’s family explained that they couldnot afford to pay him, they were told Al Saadoun was being tortured.

Al Saadoun’s family filed a complaint at the Al Karama police station in Mosul a week after his abduction. The Al Karama police station later called Al Saadoun’s family to inform them that the filing of the documents “could not be completed due to technical issues”.

Timeline

August 10, 2020: MENA Rights Group and the Iraqi War Crimes Documentation Center request the urgent intervention of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances.
May 2017: Al Saadoun’s family files a complaint at the Al Karama police station in Mosul but to no avail.
May 15, 2017: Al Saadoun is abducted by the Iraqi Federal Police in West Mosul and taken to an unknown location.