The Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced today, Monday, the formation of a special committee to combat human trafficking, noting that international agreements have been signed in this regard. The ministry's spokesperson, Major Miqdad, stated, "The Iraqi government has formed a committee headed by the Minister of Interior, Abdul Amir al-Shamari, in coordination with several departments and ministries, including: the Council of State, the National Women's Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Migration and Displacement, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Communications, the Supreme Judicial Council, the Office of Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, Baghdad Governorate, the Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Region, the National Intelligence Service, the Human Rights Commission, and the National Security Agency.” He emphasized that “all these entities work as a committee chaired by the Ministry of Interior under Abdul Amir al-Shamari to combat this modern global cross-border crime that poses an international threat and is penalized by international laws.”
Miri added that "subcommittees have also been formed in Baghdad and the provinces, chaired by the governors and members of the aforementioned ministries," pointing out that "the laws in force include: the Anti-Human Trafficking Law No. 28 of 2012, the Law on Human Organ Transplantation and the Prevention of Trafficking in Human Organs No. 11 of 2016, and the System for Sheltering Victims of Human Trafficking." He continued that "Iraq has entered into several agreements in the field of this crime aimed at enhancing cooperation with regional countries, most notably the International Agreement to Combat Human Trafficking and Organized Crime and its protocols of 2000, the Arab Agreement to Combat Transnational Organized Crime of 2010 ratified by Law No. 99 of 2012, and the Arab Protocol to Combat Organized Crime ratified in 2021."
