On 26 November 2014, Alkarama provided the Committee with suggestions of 28 questions to be raised with the Iraqi authorities, many of which were conveyed by the Committee.

In its List of Issues, the Committee requested that Iraq comment on allegations that "throughout 2014, militias have been committing acts that may amount to enforced disappearances as they have been reportedly abducting people with the authorisation, support or acquiescence of State officials." The experts further demanded that information be provided on "the measures taken, and their results, to investigate and punish all those involved."

The CED also raised the issue of abductions committed by other States in Iraq and requested that the authorities indicate if they have received reports about "people being subjected to enforced disappearance in any territory under the jurisdiction of the State party between 2003 and the entry into force of the Convention, including by official of other States or by persons or by groups of persons acting with the authorisation, support or acquiescence of the officials of another State."

Iraq's obligation to take measures to prevent and sanction acts that "hinder the conduct of an investigation," under article 12(4) of the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICCPED), was also the subject of several questions. In fact, since no provision in domestic law provides for the suspension from duties of an alleged offender during the investigation, the CED asked whether there was "any mechanisms in place to exclude a law enforcement or security force [...] from the investigation into an enforced disappearance when one or more of its members are accused of committing or being involved in the commission of the offence."

Finally, regarding the issue of secret detention, the UN experts asked that the authorities provide information about the existence of places where people were held in secret, such as Camp Justice in northwest Baghdad and Camp Honor in the Green Zone. The Committee also requested information on the procedural guarantees as to prevent enforced disappearances, such as up-to-date registers of all persons deprived of their liberty are kept and the right of untried prisoners to immediately inform their family of the detention and/or receive their visit, including when they are about to be transferred.

Iraq is to provide its responses to the List of Issues before the 9th session of the CED (7-18 September), during which the implementation of the ICCPED in the country will be assessed. Alkarama will be contributing to the review by submitting an alternative report and meeting with the Committee's experts to brief them on our key concerns.

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