MESOP NEWS DOCUMENTS : General Union of Students in the Iraq Republic

8th May 2017 –  Statement on the kidnapping of seven students and civil activists in central Baghdad  – NO to the Suppression of Free Voices!

The General Union of Students in the Republic of Iraq (GUSIR) strongly condemns the kidnapping of a number of our colleagues and civil activists at dawn today, Monday 8th May 2017, at 1:30 am, in central Baghdad by an armed group.

The names of the kidnapped youths are:

Abdullah Latif Faraj (member of our Union’s Secretariat)

Samer Amer Mousa

Zaid Yehya

Haider Nashi Hassan

Ahmed Na’eem Ruwai’i

Ali Hussein Shnawa

Hamza

While strongly condemning these attacks and kidnappings, and expressing our deep concern about these disgraceful acts that expose the lack of freedom of expression and blatant violation of law and democracy, we call on the Iraqi government and all security agencies to expedite the release of these abducted students and civil activists, and to reveal the identity of the criminals who are threatening the lives of citizens and attempting to suppress free voices.

We call upon all political parties, human rights organizations, law organizations, trade unions, media institutions and civil activists to raise their voices, demand that the fate of our abducted colleagues and civil activists be revealed and call for their immediate release.

Secretariat of the General Union of Students

in the Iraq Republic (GUSIR)