President of Iraq

Jalal Talabani

c/o Embassy of the Republic of Iraq

Box 26031

S-100 41 Stockholm

Sweden





Your Excellency,



According to information from Amnesty International, sixty men were murdered and many others kidnapped during the first four months of 2009 because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation.



Amnesty International believes that all citizens should be protected from vigilante violence, and that all perpetrators of acts of violence should be brought to justice. We fear that allowing militias to brutally violate the rights of citizens will lead to more violence and unrest in Iraq.



The violence that has been committed has had a devastating effect not only on the targets for these acts but also on their families and the greater communities in which these acts take place.



I call upon you to take immediate action to hold prompt, impartial and thorough investigations into all violent crimes against civilians, and bring those responsible to justice in conformity with international law and without recourse to the death penalty. I also encourage you to ensure that all vulnerable communities in Iraq are protected and that all militias are disarmed.



Thank you for your time and consideration of this important matter.



Yours sincerely,