Riyad Jassem is the secretary of the Iraqi MP Mohammad Al-Dainy, who disappeared following his arrest by Iraqi security forces on 25 February 2009. On 26 February 2009, Alkarama made an urgent appeal to WGEID in order to intercede with the Iraqi authorities. 

Riyad Ibrahim Jassem, was born in 1978 and is married with a child. He lives with his family in Baghdad. 

On 11 February 2009 at 0900, as he was leaving his home on his way to work, Riyad Jassem was arrested by a group of armed soldiers dressed in civilian clothing, who had arrived at the scene in army vehicles. 

Upon arrest, he was abruptly handcuffed, hooded and brought inside his home where his pregnant wife and sister were present. 

The military resorted to extreme violence, destroying all the furniture whilst conducting a thorough search of his home. They stole a large sum of money belonging to him and his wife and sister's jewelry, as well as other valuables. They also filmed the rooms of the house and photographed the two women. 

According to his wife's testimony to his relatives, the military had no judicial warrant for Riyad Jasem's arrest, nor a warrant to conduct the search. At the same time, the same operation took place in Diyala near Baghdad at the home of  Jassem's parents, where soldiers  also terrorized the scene. 

The military used the same methods to intimidate his elderly mother, his brothers and sisters, destroying all the furniture and stealing all the jewels, valuables and his brother's car.

On 22 February at around 12 o'clock, those close to Jassem were surprised to see him on Al-Iraqia during a special program devoted to the alleged arrests of dangerous terrorists. 

During the program the victim allegedly made a confession admitting that he belongs to a terrorist organization headed by a member of the National Assembly, Mohammad Al-Dainy. 

Jassem was obviously speaking under duress. At the time he seemed very tired and according to his family he must have been drugged. Obviously, the Iraqi authorities hoped that through a public confession by Al-Dainy's secretary, they would be able to accuse a political opponent. Al-Dainy has been particularly active in denouncing violations of human rights by U.S. occupation forces and government forces in Iraq. 

Jassem's family has tried everything to discover his place of detention, but to no avail; They have subsequently hired a lawyer to seek and provide the appropriate legal assistance. 

To date, however, the authorities have refused to officially recognize his detention before a competent judicial authority. 

It is therefore clearly a case of enforced disappearance. Alkarama has asked the Working Group to make an urgent intervention with the Iraqi government authorities, in order to release or place Riyah Ibrahim Jassem under the protection of the law.