Young Iraqi taxi driver ‘disappeared’ from his home by the Iraqi military

Young Iraqi taxi driver ‘disappeared’ from his home by the Iraqi military

Yasser Al Abadi, an Iraqi taxi driver, was arrested in the early hours of July 2, 2014 as part of a sweep of arrests in his neighborhood. No reason was given as to the reason for Al Abadi’s arrest and he was subsequently disappeared. Three months after his arrest, Al Abadi was seen by a former detainee in one of the barracks attached to Iraqi Army Division No. 17 but his whereabouts since then remains unknown.

Yasser Al Abadi was an Iraqi teenager when he was arrested and disappeared on July 2, 2014. At around 1 am, Al Abadi’s home was raided by members of the intelligence unit of Iraqi Army Division No. 17, accompanied by an informant. During the raid, soldiers broke doors and windows and fired shots through the walls of Al Abadi’s bedroom before they entered. Al Abadi was severely beaten during the incident and was given no reason for the arrest. That night, the same unit arrested 15 other people living in the Al Mazraa neighbourhood.

During the days after the arrest Al Abadi’s family made enquiries regarding his fate and condition but were advised by soldiers of the Iraqi Army Division No. 17 in Mahmoudiyah that Al Abadi was not being detained on their premises. However, three months later, a former detainee reported having seen Al Abadi and 12 other men at one of the barracks of the 55th Brigade attached to Iraqi Army Division No. 17. Since that sighting, no further information has arisen and Al Abadi’s whereabouts remains unknown.

Timeline

October 23, 2019: MENA Rights Group and Al Wissam Humanitarian Assembly request urgent intervention of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED).
Late 2014: A former detainee describes having seen Al Abadi at one of the barracks of the 55th Brigade attached to Iraqi Army Division No. 17 in Mahmoudiyah.
July 3, 2014: Al Abadi’s family contacts Iraqi Army Division No. 17 in Mahmoudiyah and enquire about his fate. The Iraqi Army Division No. 17 state that Al Abadi is not being detained at their premises.
July 2, 2014: Arrested in his home at approximately 1 am by members of the Iraqi Army Division No. 17.

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