December, 08 2009, 11:46am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7413 5566,After hours: +44 7778 472 126,Email:,press@amnesty.org
Indiscriminate Attacks in Baghdad Are War Crimes, Says Amnesty International
Amnesty International condemns
today's indiscriminate bomb attacks in Baghdad,
which according to news reports killed at least 120 people and injured
400 others, many of them civilians.
It is not known who is responsible for this
morning's explosions.
WASHINGTON
Amnesty International condemns
today's indiscriminate bomb attacks in Baghdad,
which according to news reports killed at least 120 people and injured
400 others, many of them civilians.
It is not known who is responsible for this
morning's explosions.
"There can be absolutely no justification
whatsoever for indiscriminate attacks or attacks which target civilians,
as these seem to have done,"
said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East
and North Africa. "Such attacks are war crimes. They must be investigated
thoroughly by the authorities and those responsible must be identified
and brought to justice."
According to news reports,
at least five bomb explosions shook the city this morning. The first explosion
went off in Baghdad's southern al-Doura district and was apparently aimed
at a police patrol but killed at least 12 students from a nearby college.
Another four near simultaneous car bombs
exploded close to government buildings that reportedly house the Labor,
Health and Interior Ministries.
Amnesty International has repeatedly condemned
car bombs and other attacks targeting civilians in Iraq. Some attacks seem
intended to re-ignite sectarian divisions between Iraq's Sunni and Shi'a
communities and members of various ethnic and religious minorities.
Today's coordinated attacks follow a decision
by Iraq's parliament to pass a new electoral law, which paves the way
for a general election to be held early next year. Passage of the law was
previously delayed due to a dispute over its terms.
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. Our supporters are outraged by human rights abuses but inspired by hope for a better world - so we work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity. We have more than 2.2 million members and subscribers in more than 150 countries and regions and we coordinate this support to act for justice on a wide range of issues.
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