I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5276 

To require a report describing whether certain persons meet the criteria 

to be sanctioned pursuant to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for violating the human rights of Iraqi protestors, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 26, 2019 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. MALINOWSKI) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To require a report describing whether certain persons meet 

the criteria to be sanctioned pursuant to the Global 

Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for violating the human rights of Iraqi protestors, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iraq Human Rights 

5 and Accountability Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The Government of Iraq responded to the 

2 protests in Baghdad, Babil, Basra, Maysan, 

3 Nasiriya, Karbala, and Najaf from October 1 

4 through November 2019, by using unprecedented re5 pressive measures against protestors that included 

6 shootings, sniper fire, illegal and unlawful detention, 

7 mass arrests, and weaponizing public services such 

8 as electricity and the internet. 

9 (2) The United Nations Assistance Mission for 

10 Iraq, under United Nations Security Council Resolu11 tion 2470 (2019), states that 149 people were killed 

12 in early October and another 97 between October 25 

13 and November 6, 2019, while over 6,100 civilians 

14 have been wounded during the suppression of these 

15 protests. These human rights violations and abuses 

16 resulted due to excessive force against protestors by 

17 Iraqi Security Forces. 

18 (3) Since 2017, Iraqi Security Forces aligned 

19 with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), pre20 dominantly Shi’ite militias frequently backed by 

21 Iran, have committed unlawful and arbitrary killings 

22 according to the United States Department of State. 

23 Some reports indicate that PMF-aligned fighters 

24 were behind the roof-top sniper attacks in Baghdad 

25 in early October 2019 targeting protestors. Iraqi poVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:45 Dec 06, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5276.IH H5276

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1 lice also fired military grade tear gas grenades which 

2 lodged in protestors bodies. On October 8, 2019, the 

3 Iraqi military acknowledged the excessive use of 

4 force. 

5 (4) The Iraqi government also suppressed free6 dom of expression during the protests through the 

7 detention of journalists, blocking internet access 

8 from October 3 through 9, 2019, and again since 

9 late October, and attacking media outlets. These at10 tacks included intimidation, harassment, and pre11 paring journalist watchlists while also raiding sat12 ellite television stations in Baghdad. 

13 (5) The Commander of the Iranian Quds Force 

14 traveled to Iraq in October 2019 and met with mili15 tia leaders from the PMF. The PMF report to the 

16 Iraqi Prime Minister but many units maintain a 

17 command structure outside the formal military chain 

18 of command linked directly to the Iranian Revolu19 tionary Guard Corps. The PMF and the Iranian 

20 Revolutionary Guard Corps established a joint oper21 ational cell in Baghdad on October 3, 2019, that 

22 may have directly contributed to the use of excessive 

23 force and snipers. 

24 (6) The 2018 Country Reports on Human 

25 Rights Practices of the Department of State found 


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1 that ‘‘civilian authorities did not maintain effective 

2 control over some elements of the security forces, 

3 particularly certain units of the Popular Mobilization 

4 Forces (PMF) that were aligned with Iran’’. 

5 (7) The Government of Iran continues to inter6 vene and maintain influence with the militia leaders 

7 and Commanders of the PMF. This undermines the 

8 formal Iraqi chain of command and contributes to 

9 actions by the PMF that use repressive actions 

10 against Iraqi protestors to maintain Iranian proxy 

11 power. 

12 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

13 It shall be the policy of the United States to— 

14 (1) support democracy and human rights in 

15 Iraq, including the robust exercise by Iraqis of the 

16 rights to free speech and assembly as guaranteed to 

17 them by the Iraqi constitution; 

18 (2) support calls for meaningful government re19 form to combat corruption and strengthen rule of 

20 law and transparency; 

21 (3) condemn any and all attacks on peaceful 

22 protesters by Iraqi authorities, militias, or others; 

23 (4) encourage a rapid and full restoration of 

24 internet services and publicly verifiable measures by 


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1 the Government of Iraq to protect media workers 

2 and medical personnel; 

3 (5) demand accountability for individuals and 

4 entities involved directly and indirectly in attacks 

5 and other human rights violations against peaceful 

6 Iraqi protestors; and 

7 (6) maintain a robust diplomatic presence 

8 across Iraq as a sign and tool of the commitment 

9 and influence of the United States in countering ma10 lign influences in the region, helping Iraq maintain 

11 its full sovereignty, and contributing to the develop12 ment of a healthy and corruption-free economy that 

13 serves the Iraqi people. 

14 SEC. 4. REPORT ON SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO HUMAN 

15 RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST IRAQI 

16 PROTESTORS. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 

18 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 

19 shall submit to Congress a report that includes— 

20 (1) a statement whether each person listed in 

21 subsection (b) meets the criteria to be designated for 

22 the imposition of sanctions under section 1263 of 

23 the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability 

24 Act (title XII of the National Defense Authorization 


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1 Act for Fiscal Year 2017; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note) be2 cause such person— 

3 (A) is responsible for extrajudicial killings, 

4 torture, or other gross violations of internation5 ally recognized human rights in Iraq with re6 spect to Iraqi protestors seeking to exercise 

7 their internationally recognized rights and free8 doms since October 2019; or 

9 (B) acted as an agent of or on behalf of 

10 a foreign person that committed such violations; 

11 (2) a list of units of the Iraqi Security Forces 

12 with respect to which the Secretary of State has 

13 credible information that such units have committed 

14 gross violations of human rights in Iraq since Octo15 ber 2019; and 

16 (3) a certification that such units will not re17 ceive training, equipment, or other assistance from 

18 the United States, consistent with section 620M of 

19 the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 

20 2378d) and section 362 of title 10, United States 

21 Code. 

22 (b) PERSONS LISTED.—The persons listed in this 

23 subsection are the following: 


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1 (1) Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) leader 

2 Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (birth name Jamal Jaafar 

3 Ibrahim). 

4 (2) Chief of staff to Prime Minister Adil 

5 Abdulmahdi, Abu Jihad (birth name Mohammed al6 Hashimi). 

7 (3) Head of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, Qais al-Khazali. 

8 (4) Head of the PMF Central Security Direc9 torate, Abu Zainab al-Lami (birth name Hussein 

10 Falah al-Lami). 

11 (5) Adviser for PMF Affairs to Prime Minister 

12 Abdulmahdi, Abu Muntadher al-Husseini (birth 

13 name Tahseen Abid Mutar al-Abboudi). 

14 (6) Head of the Interior Ministry’s Rapid Re15 sponse Division, Abu Turab al-Husseini (birth name 

16 Thamir Mohammad Ismail). 

17 (7) Commander of Saraya Talia al-Kurasani 

18 (PMF Brigade 18), Hamid al-Jazayeri. 

19 (8) Commander of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada 

20 (PMF Brigade 14), Abu Ala al-Walai (birth name 

21 Hashim Bunyan al-Siraji). 

22 (9) Head of the PMF Intelligence Directorate, 

23 Abu Iman al-Bahali. 

Æ 


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