On 14 June 2019, Hanaa Edwar, a prominent human rights defender who is president of the Iraqi Al-Amal Association, was hit by a car after she addressed a demonstration in Tahrir Square located in the heart of Baghdad. The accident (which did not appear to be deliberate) resulted in various injuries and bruising throughout her body, including a fractured leg that required surgery.

Following a successful surgical operation on 15 June 2019, Edwar left the hospital in good health the following day in the afternoon.

Edwar refused to travel outside Iraq to receive treatment and relinquished her personal rights and asked the responsible authorities to release the young driver who had hit her with his car.

Edwar participated actively in a recent consultative meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst, to discuss impunity and human rights defenders; as well as at the meeting of human rights defenders from the Middle East and North Africa with the European Union mechanism "ProtectDefenders held in Tunisia from 09 to 11 June.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) expresses regret for the unfortunate accident that Hanaa Edwar has suffered and wishes her every success in her human rights career, which lasted more than 50 years, during which she bravely defended human rights, including the rights of women throughout Iraq.

gc4hr