The UN assistance mission in Iraq said the first half of 2008 had seen alleged assaults on minorities, widespread torture of detainees and attacks against women.

And it criticised both Iraqi law enforcement authorities and coalition forces for their treatment of detainees. Long-term internment of suspects without judicial review of their cases remains concerning, the report concluded.

“Ongoing widespread ill-treatment and torture of detainees by Iraqi law enforcement authorities, amid pervasive impunity of current and past human rights abuses, constitute severe breaches of international human rights obligations and represent examples of challenges faced by the Iraqi government,” the report said.

Professionals including journalists, teachers, doctors, judges and lawyers have continued to be the victims of targeted killings.

And security operations by coalition forces have often seen the use of excessive or indiscriminate force, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians.

Coalition forces should investigate these incidents carefully, the UN report said. It suggested the introduction of basic “due process guarantees enshrined in international human rights law”.
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