ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Tariq Nuri, the head of Erbil Asayesh (Security), told Rudaw on Monday that they will investigate beating of protesters by some individuals and vowed to prosecute the perpetrators.
Huge crowds of protestors took to streets on Sunday in the major cities of the Kurdistan Region, including the capital city of Erbil.
The protestors stood face to face with riot police and other Kurdish security agents.
“Are you going to beat me? What have I done?,” asked the old man who is reportedly a striking teacher protesting against salary-saving system.
The teachers and health workers are on a work strike, fed up with their monthly salaries being slashed by a third in some cases.
"As teachers and civil servants from Erbil, we are calling on you to revise the salaries of the employees without the saving system," said a spokesperson for the demonstrators on Sunday.
The KRG Council of Ministers agreed to allow the health ministry to prepare a proposal by Tuesday that would reformulate the saving percentage.
The KRG cites multiple financial crises — notably the loss of oil-rich Kirkuk — although the Council of Ministers said it will adjust the salary saving system if Baghdad continues to send 317 billion Iraqi dinars.
Protests continued in Halabja, Sulaimani, Erbil, and Zakho on Monday.
Huge crowds of protestors took to streets on Sunday in the major cities of the Kurdistan Region, including the capital city of Erbil.
The protestors stood face to face with riot police and other Kurdish security agents.
Some videos went viral on social media, one video showed a woman being slapped for recording a video on the fringes of a protest in Erbil.
After a minute-long exchange, one man tells the woman she isn't there about the salaries, but merely to cause problems.
"Why should I turn off the video," she replies.
Another man responds: "Go ahead and record my face."
He then knocks the phone out of the woman's hands and the video ends with another woman saying they will leave.
Another video shows an older man being beaten and kicked by two people.
“Are you going to beat me? What have I done?,” asked the old man who is reportedly a striking teacher protesting against salary-saving system.
Other videos showed protestors shot with rubber bullets.
Nuri told Rudaw that they will investigate the beating of the old man, and “the person who slapped [the woman] will be punished no matter what position he has … because insulting anyone is not acceptable.”
The teachers and health workers are on a work strike, fed up with their monthly salaries being slashed by a third in some cases.
"As teachers and civil servants from Erbil, we are calling on you to revise the salaries of the employees without the saving system," said a spokesperson for the demonstrators on Sunday.
The KRG Council of Ministers agreed to allow the health ministry to prepare a proposal by Tuesday that would reformulate the saving percentage.
The KRG cites multiple financial crises — notably the loss of oil-rich Kirkuk — although the Council of Ministers said it will adjust the salary saving system if Baghdad continues to send 317 billion Iraqi dinars.
Protests continued in Halabja, Sulaimani, Erbil, and Zakho on Monday.
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