About CPT Iraq

CPT has held a presence in Iraq since October 2002, six months before the beginning of the U.S. led invasion in March of 2003. The team responded to the drumbeat of war, the "shock and awe" bombing of Baghdad, the ongoing U.S. occupation, a hostage situation, and a deteriorating security situation as Baghdad descended into chaos.

The primary focus of the team for eighteen months following the invasion was documenting and focusing attention on detainee abuses and basic legal and human rights being denied them.

In November 2005, four CPT personnel were taken hostage, resulting in the murder of CPTer Tom Fox and the freeing of the remaining three CPTers in a military operation in March 2006. Following an evaluation phase, CPT relocated its violence reduction work to the Kurdish north of Iraq in late 2006.

The team now works toward accompanying displaced persons home by living in conflicted border regions and documenting human rights violations against civilian populations.

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