Zaid Al Bahadeily, a young freelance photographer, was returning home from an anti-corruption demonstration in Baghdad when he was abducted opposite his house at 4 a.m. on December 6, 2019.

There were several witnesses to the abduction, who have verified that the perpetrators were dressed in civilian clothes and driving a car. Although Al Bahadeily’s family has not received any information concerning the perpetrators responsible for his enforced disappearance, they believe he was abducted by a militia group acting with the authorisation, support, acquiescence or approval of the Iraqi government.

A rising number of abductions of a similar nature have recently been reported in Baghdad, indicative of a pattern of enforced disappearances directed against peaceful anti-government demonstrators.