The United Nations on Tuesday raised "serious concerns" about the trials of hundreds of alleged Islamic State members in Iraq, some of whom merely prepared meals, offered medical services or even acted as human shields for the jihadist group.
Iraq has processed thousands of cases under its anti-terrorism law - including of detainees from outside the Middle East transferred from neighboring Syria - in the aftermath of a 2014-17 war against Islamic State militants.
The joint report by the UN's Human Rights Office in Iraq (UNAMI) and the Office of the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) covers 794 trials carried out between May 1, 2018, and Oct. 31, 2019, OHCHR spokesman Jeremy Laurence told a Geneva news briefing.
"[The report] raises serious concerns about unfair trials placing defendants at a serious disadvantage," he said, adding that the cases in the UN report also included 28 foreign defendants from 11 different countries.
In some cases, the individuals had provided basic support services, such as selling vegetables or preparing meals for members of the ultra-hardline jihadist group, the report said.