Jassim Al-Asadi

Background and Work

Jassim Al-Asadi is an environmental scientist and academic with specialized expertise in water resources and wetland ecology. He is the co-founder and director of Nature Iraq, an Iraqi non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting, restoring, and preserving the country's natural environment. The organization has been particularly vocal about the deteriorating condition of Iraq's marshlands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has suffered from upstream dam construction, drought, and deliberate drainage policies over decades.

Al-Asadi is recognized as one of the few independent specialists on environmental issues in Iraq. His work has included advising government ministries on water management, campaigning against the proposed Makhoul Dam project that threatens to displace thousands of families and destroy over 183 archaeological sites, and supporting communities that depend on the marshes for their livelihoods. In early 2023 he was assisting Iraq's newly appointed Minister of Water Resources with planning irrigation for agricultural lands during a period of acute water scarcity.

The Kidnapping

On the morning of 1 February 2023, Al-Asadi was traveling on the Hillah–Baghdad highway with his cousin when two vehicles stopped them. Armed men in plain clothes handcuffed Al-Asadi, forced him into one of the vehicles, and drove away. His cousin was left on the road approximately five kilometers from the capital. The family reported the incident to Iraqi security forces immediately, stating their belief that the abduction was linked to his environmental advocacy. Police announced they would search for him, but no updates were provided during his captivity.

Al-Asadi had been en route to Baghdad for meetings with government officials and was scheduled to meet the Minister of Water Resources the following day. At the time of the kidnapping he was leading a major campaign to protect the southern marshlands and was working closely with the ministry on water policy.

Detention Conditions and Torture

Al-Asadi was held for fifteen days. He was moved between multiple locations during his captivity. After his release he reported being subjected to what he described as the most severe forms of torture, including electric shocks and beatings with sticks. He stated that the abuse was both physical and psychological, intended to intimidate him and force him to abandon his environmental work, particularly his advocacy for the protection of the marshes.

Release and Lack of Accountability

Al-Asadi was released on 15 February 2023. Iraqi authorities claimed to have intervened to secure his release, but did not disclose the identity of the kidnappers or provide any details about the circumstances of his detention. No investigation has been announced, and no accountability efforts have been reported. The perpetrators remain unidentified and at large.

Al-Asadi publicly attributed the kidnapping to efforts to silence his environmental advocacy. His case is part of a broader pattern of violence against environmental defenders in Iraq, where state-backed armed groups and security officials have been implicated in extrajudicial punishment of activists. The Iraqi authorities have increasingly used judicial harassment alongside extrajudicial violence to suppress defenders, with numerous ongoing prosecutions aimed at deterring environmental advocacy.

Context and Threats to Environmental Defenders

Retaliation against environmental human rights defenders in Iraq has escalated in recent years. Armed groups with ties to the state operate with impunity, and judicial mechanisms are used as instruments of repression rather than accountability. Defenders working on water rights, land use, and pollution have faced arrest, prosecution on spurious charges, and physical violence. The absence of investigations or prosecutions in cases of abduction and torture creates an environment in which intimidation becomes routine and defenders are left without recourse or protection.