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Deportations
April 1980-1990
approximately one million Iraqi citizens were forcibly deported to Iran
The deportations commenced
six months prior to the start of Iran/Iraq war.
The deportees were accused
of being Iranians origin
Their belongings and Iraqi
citizenship documents were confiscated
Reasons for deportation
Many of the deportees were
wealthy and the ruling Baath Party wanted their wealth for its own supporters.
Many of the deportees were
not supporters of the Baath Party or
not trusted by the Regime.
Many of the younger
deportees were well educated and the Baath Party feared their future influence.
Hostage Taking
To silence protest, members of each
family of deportees were detained as hostages.
Approximately one detainee
for every deportee.
These hostages were mainly
men 16-40.
Many hostages were on
National Service when arrested
The hostages were imprisoned
in various prisons and transported between prisons.
Abu Ghareb and Qalat Al
Salman were 2 of the main prisons where hostages were kept.
At least 4,000 hostages are
still in detention in Iraq.
The committee is seeking
information on the whereabouts and welfare of all the hostages and campaigning
for their release
