JURIST - Paper Chase: Human Rights Watch on landmines in Iraqi mosque

Human Rights Watch issued a statement Tuesday condemning the storing and placement of mines inside and around a mosque in Kadir Karam, nothern Iraq, as violations of international law:

Iraq is not among the 132 countries that are party to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty that outlaws any use, production, stockpiling or trade in antipersonnel mines. However, Human Rights Watch believes that any use of antipersonnel mines by any armed force is prohibited by customary international humanitarian law since they are inherently indiscriminate weapons. International humanitarian law also prohibits using places of worship in support of the military effort.

Read the HRW statement, and a background HRW briefing on landmines in Iraq. The mines in the Kadir Karam mosque were discovered, and about 150 made safe, by the British Mines Advisory Group organization, which has posted a field report with photos on its website. The International Committee of the Red Cross offers a general backgrounder on landmines and international humanitarian law.