Supplement to the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Supplement to the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: GUIDANCE FOR PRACTITIONERS IN IRAQ MARCH 2018 © Tommy Trenchard / Panos Pictures Design: Vilmar Luiz Supplement to the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: GUIDANCE FOR PRACTITIONERS IN IRAQ MARCH 2018 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Supplement was written on behalf of the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI) by Dr Ingrid Elli- ott MBE, International Criminal Justice and SGBV Expert, UK Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Team of Experts & UK Senior Gender and Justice Conflict Adviser. Stephanie Barbour, SGBV Investigator and International Criminal Justice Practitioner, provided independent expert review of the Supplement. Suzan Aref, Director of Women Empowerment Or- ganization (WEO), also reviewed the Supplement. IICI is grateful to them and the anonymous reviewers. IICI’s Programme Director, Gabriël Oosthuizen, also reviewed the Supplement. The development of this Supplement has been made possi- ble by the generous support of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the UK government (FCO). COPYRIGHT IN THIS SUPPLEMENT, AND NOTE ABOUT ADAPTING THIS SUPPLEMENT IICI owns the copyright in this Supplement. However, the Supplement is intended to be a living document and tool. All us- ers are free to use, update, correct and otherwise adapt this Supplement for their own purposes as they wish. No approval needs to be secured from IICI, the author of this Supplement or from the FCO for any such changes. However, please give due acknowledgment to this Supplement when adapting it. DISCLAIMER IICI is not and will not be responsible for if and how this Supplement or the document which it complements, the Interna- tional Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict, are used and/or adapted by others, or for any related consequences. Every user of the mentioned documents is responsible for assessing the suitability and safety of using and/or putting into practice their content. The Supplement may contain inadvertent errors, as explained in Chapter 1 of this Supplement. Users must check for themselves whether the content is up to date and otherwise correct. ABOUT IICI The Institute for International Criminal Investigations specialises in building and strengthening the capacity of interna- tional, national, civil society and other investigators and practitioners to document and investigate war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and serious human rights violations. Its course offerings include training on the investigation of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence. More information on IICI can be found at www.iici.global. TABLE OF CONTENTS Note that chapter and section numbering largely mirror those in the second (March 2017) edition of the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict (“IP2”) for easy cross-referencing, though note not all IP2 chapters are included for further country-specific elaboration. ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................ iii PART I: USING THE INTERNATIONAL PROTOCOL IN IRAQ ............................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: Using The International Protocol & This Supplement, And Other Notes On This Supplement ..................1 PART II: WHAT IS SEXUAL VIOLENCE? .......................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2: Understanding Sexual Violence ..................................................................................................................3 A. Contextualising Sexual Violence .............................................................................................................................................3 1. Gender and Conflict in Iraq ..................................................................................................................................................3 B. Conflict and Atrocity Related Sexual Violence in Iraq ...........................................................................................................4 Saddam Hussein’s Use of Sexual Violence and Torture against Political Opponents and Detainees ..........................4 Post US-Invasion Surge in Sexual Violence .........................................................................................................................4 Intensifying violence before Da’esh Attacks and Territory Seizure in 2014 .....................................................................5 Da’esh Sexual Violence and Subjugation of Women – 2014 onwards .............................................................................5 C. Impact of Sexual Violence in Iraq ............................................................................................................................................6 PART III: ACCOUNTABILITY AVENUES AND REMEDIES .................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER 3: Accountability Avenues And Remedies.......................................................................................................9 A. Overview of Accountability Avenues and Remedies for Victims ..........................................................................................9 1. Domestic Avenues (in Iraq) ..................................................................................................................................................9 2. Regional and International Human Rights Mechanisms ................................................................................................11 3. Investigative and Fact-Finding Bodies ..............................................................................................................................11 4. International and Hybrid Courts and Tribunals ...............................................................................................................11 5. Proceedings in Third States – Extra-territorial Jurisdiction including Universal Jurisdiction ....................................12 CHAPTER 4: Individual Criminal Responsibility ...........................................................................................................15 A. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................15 1. Legal Framework .................................................................................................................................................................15 B. Elements of Crimes ................................................................................................................................................................16 Main Crimes under Iraqi Law Relevant for Sexual Violence ............................................................................................16 Iraqi Law – Modes of Liability .............................................................................................................................................21 Defences under the Iraqi Penal Code (which generally do not reflect the strictly defined defences under international law):.............................................24 C. Factual Scenarios ...................................................................................................................................................................26 D. Rules of Procedure and Evidence .........................................................................................................................................27 1. Consent ................................................................................................................................................................................27 2. Corroboration ......................................................................................................................................................................27 3. Prior and Subsequent Sexual Conduct.............................................................................................................................28 4. Other Protective Measures .................................................................................................................................................29 i PART IV: DOCUMENTATION IN PRACTICE: PREPARATION ..............................................................................31 CHAPTER 7: Do No Harm ..............................................................................................................................................31 A. Key Concepts ..........................................................................................................................................................................31 1. Harm .....................................................................................................................................................................................31 B. Informed Consent ..................................................................................................................................................................35 C. Mitigating Harm ......................................................................................................................................................................38