Western Coalition Must Be Brought to Justice for Crimes in Iraq: Russia

Keeping quiet about crimes committed by the Western coalition in Iraq is impermissible and those responsible must be brought to justice, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

She pointed to a recent statement by Britain’s director of the Service Prosecution Authority, who said that all inquiries and prosecution of British military personnel for crimes they may have committed over the years of the military campaign in Iraq would be wrapped up "within weeks". Zakharova said it was utterly unclear why the investigation of specific incidents and facts was to be terminated.

"It is important to prevent crimes committed by the Western coalition in Iraq from being brushed under the carpet and to bring those responsible to justice," Zakharova said.

"Currently a campaign is gaining momentum for investigating the causes of the coronavirus pandemic and some countries are accused and specific names mentioned. Naturally all this is being done on a solid political basis. Why shouldn’t then the same be done in relation to the events in Iraq that happened over so many years? There is so much evidence. So many people, including civilians of a sovereign state, lost their lives. Isn’t it the right moment to bring some representatives of the Western coalition to justice?" she asked.

Zakharova remarked that "the statement by such a senior British official is clear evidence London is determined to conceal numerous instances of disgraceful conduct by British troops in Iraq." There are 3,500 such incidents. "These are the most shameful pages that have been written down forever in the history of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces," Zakharova said, adding that London’s policy "requires condemnation by the world human rights community.".