Bahrain Forum for Human Rights: The murder of Soleimani and al-Muhandis is "state terrorism" and proves that the US military bases were used to commit the violations

The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights (BFHR) commented that the horrific murder committed by the US military forces in a raid on the Baghdad International Airport road on January 2, 2020 and resulted in the killing of Lieutenant-General Qassim Soleimani, Commander of Quds Force – while on an official mission – and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, and a number of victims who accompanied them, is “state terrorism,” and it proves that the US military bases in Iraq were used to commit a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations.

The BFHR referred to the approach of UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, who considered “the use of drones or other means for targeted killing is almost never likely to be legal.” The BFHR considered that the crime constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law and reflects the indifference to the rule of law in the world and the adoption of the “jungle law,” adding that the United Nations should take a clear stance in condemning this violation.

The BFHR commended the stance of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, David Kaye, on considering the threat of US President Trump to bomb cultural goals in Iran constitutes a war crime under the law of armed conflict, in particular Article 53 of Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Convention. The BFHR pointed out that Trump's threat to target Iran's cultural heritage reflects his blatant lack of respect for human rights principles.

The US War Crimes statute holds criminally liable US nationals, including officials and military personnel, who commit war crimes. Under customary laws of war, every combatant has a duty to disobey a manifestly unlawful order. 

The BFHR pointed out that the threat of the US President to impose severe sanctions on Iraq if it refuses the presence of US military forces on its soil constitutes political blackmail, a flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and independence, and a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the international agreements.

Bahrain Forum for Human Rights
January 6, 2020