Eighteen human rights and civil organizations denounce Nasr al-Hariri’s visit to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

ERBIL, Iraq — Eighteen human rights and civil organizations have denounced the visit of the Syrian National Coalition delegation headed by Nasr al-Hariri to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The statement referred to the SNC as proxies whose hands are stained with the blood of thousands of people in the northern Syria.

The signatory organizations, active in Syria and abroad, called the visit an insult to the people of the KRI and to all humanity given the crimes committed by SNC members. They appealed to the President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani, the Parliament of the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and the people of the KRI to speak out against the SNC.

Vice-Chair of the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Nadine Maenza denounced the visit, noting that al-Hariri was photographed earlier this year in a meeting with Hatem Abu Shaqra who was present during the brutal murder of Kurdish politician Hevrin Khalaf.

As Nasr al-Hariri visits KRG, we should remember that he defended the horrific #ReligiousFreedom conditions in #Afrin documented by @UN @Amnesty @HRW @USCIRF.

Troubling photo from @RojavaC shows him with Hatem Abu Shaqra (red) present when Hevrin Khalef was executed in Oct '19. pic.twitter.com/rdBaB6y5Ug

— Nadine Maenza (@nadinemaenza) March 4, 2021