Iraq's Faili Kurds press for justice during Ashura commemorations

BAGHDAD, Iraq — As Ashura commemorations continue in Iraq, the Faili Kurd community has renewed longstanding demands for justice over decades-old abuses carried out by the former regime. During that period, tens of thousands of Faili Kurds were stripped of citizenship, forcibly displaced and had their property confiscated, while many young men disappeared in detention and prisons. Iraqi courts later recognized those practices as genocide. Since 2003, some exiled Faili Kurds have had citizenship restored and certain rights formally recognized, but major cases remain unresolved. Restitution of confiscated property continues to move through lengthy procedures, and the fate of those who disappeared has not been clarified. Community members argue that their representation in state institutions does not reflect their historical contributions. Their demands include speeding up property restitution, strengthening compensation mechanisms, determining the fate of the missing and ensuring fair participation of Faili Kurdish competencies in decision-making bodies. The article frames the issue as part of Iraq's broader transitional justice and victim reparation agenda, calling for an inclusive approach consistent with the Iraqi Constitution and the principle of equal citizenship. No further details on pending cases were immediately available.