Hisham al-Hashimi: No one held accountable a year after assassination
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq lost one of its prominent activists and security experts a year ago when four men gunned down Hisham al-Hashimi in front of his residential home in the capital of Baghdad. One year later, no one has been held accountable for his killing.
Hashimi—widely respected by local and international academics, researchers, and journalists—was primarily focused on the terrorist organizations that at some point tore through his country, including Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
He authored numerous articles and research papers on the existing threats and dynamics of the groups as well as the environment giving rise to them.
For international observers of Iraqi affairs, particularly foreign journalists, Hashimi was an invaluable asset, helping to explain the state of the country's complex security affairs.
"The researcher was among the world's leading experts on the Islamic State group, providing details of its inner workings to the international media," the Washington Post reported following his assassination. Additionally, Hashimi worked closely with the Iraqi government on counterterrorism efforts.
Following the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2017, he increasingly gave particular attention to the rising popularity and strength of the largely Iran-aligned militias.
Before his killing, Hashimi became vocal against said groups for their alleged involvement in the deadly crackdown on protestors who took to the streets in large numbers across the country in October 2019.
Close friends say Hashimi received death threats as he became more and more critical of the forces loyal to Iran, which local and international observers accuse of being behind the expert's murder.
Lack of Accountability
A year later and despite constant vows from the Iraqi government and prime minister Kadhimi, who was close with Hashimi, no one has been charged in his killing.
The impunity Hisham's attackers enjoy appears to have only encouraged such brazen attacks on civil society activists and protestors.
Recently, unidentified gunmen shot dead Ihab al-Wazni in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala, following multiple attempts on his life.
"The very limited accountability with respect to crimes perpetrated against critics perpetuates an environment enabling their recurrence," said the United Nations mission in Iraq in its latest report.
In late May, angry Iraqi youths poured into the streets of the capital, raising banners of "Where's my killer?" or "Who killed me?" demanding justice for the perpetrators of the killings of their fellow protestors.