“Those responsible for the murder of activist Ihab al-Wazni in Karbala will face the same fate the killers of Ahmed Abd al-Samad faced in Basra and the rest of our martyrs for what they committed against our people,” said Kadhimi in a televised speech on the first anniversary of the formation of his government.
“Anyone who believes they are stronger than the state will be held accountable to its legal institutions regardless of how great their status is,” he added.
Wazni was a member of a group coordinating protests in Karbala governorate. He was killed by unknown gunmen on May 9. News of the killing sparked protests by people angry about an apparent deadly campaign targeting activists and protesters with near impunity.
Iranian-backed militias are accused of being behind the murder.
There have been 81 attempted assassinations of activists since anti-government protests began in October 2019, according to Ali al-Bayati, a member of the Iraqi High Commission of Human Rights. Thirty-four activists have been killed. The government has launched investigations into the murders, but seen few results.
In February, authorities arrested four people in the southern city of Basra who confessed to the killing of Ahmed Abd al-Samad and other crimes. Samad, a 37-year-old correspondent for Dijla channel in Basra, and his cameraman, Safaa Ghali, 26, were assassinated by
gunmen last year.
Kadhimi also touched on the Sinjar Agreement made with Erbil last year over security and governance of the disputed territory in the Yazidi heartland that is plagued by insecurity and lack of services. The agreement “has strengthened the federal government’s responsibility regarding the Yezidi people at administrative and security levels in a manner that allows the return of displaced Yezidis to Sinjar,” he said.
The “strong and positive understanding” between the Iraqi federal government and Kurdistan Region Government (KRG) will prepare for the solving of the persisting problems with both sides “under the shadow of one nation and fate,” the prime minister said.
