ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met on Saturday in Nasiriyah with protestors and the families of a number of activists who were killed in the October (Tishreen) 2019 movement, stating violence against activists comes as part of a “battle the state is waging against corruption.” Kadhimi’s media office said the PM met the mother of protestor Omar Sadoun, one of dozens who were killed in the so-called Nasiriyah Massacre that occurred on November 28, 2019, one day after demonstrators torched the Iranian consulate. He also met with the family of Anas Malik, who died earlier in June of this year from wounds he sustained in the massacre two years ago. In addition, Kadhimi met the mother of a prominent Nasiriyah activist, Sajjad al-Iraqi, who disappeared on the evening of September 20, 2020, after being kidnapped by unknown gunmen. "The absence of activists and the assault on them comes as part of a battle waged by the state against corruption and devastation and the expansion of corrupt abusers…..the youth chose their place in the trench of confrontation with these people from the moment they went out to protest for Iraq," Kadhimi said. Kadhimi said his state is “against the logic of revenge", but it is determined to achieve rights according to legal mechanisms, stressing the "seriousness" of the security and judicial services to reach the killers of activists. The PM’s office said Kadhimi met with a number of representatives of the protest movement and listened to their demands. However, some Nasiriyiah activists say they refused to meet with any officials, and those who met the PM do not represent them. “Kadhim’s visit is not justified, and those he met with who he says are representatives of the demonstrators are affiliated with the parties. As for his meeting with the families of those killed in protests, what has Kadhimi offered to their families so far? Did the killers of their sons receive their punishment? No, of course,” prominent activist Mohammed Yasir told Rudaw English. Videos spread on social media show crowds of young people in Nasiriyah throwing stones at Kadhimi’s motorcade, chanting slogans condemning the government. “Anyone who works for parties, Dhi Qar does not want him. Kadhimi is a leader of a bunch of thieves” protesters chanted. Prominent activist Hussein al-Ghurabi from Nasiriyah said this city "receives people as they deserve". Since the start of the protest movement in October 2019, dozens of activists have been assassinated, and some have been kidnapped and tortured. The killers act with impunity as investigations have yielded little result.
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