Iraqi security forces targeting medics assisting protesters: Human Rights Watch
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region —Security forces are attacking medics and ambulances treating protesters in Iraq, an international human rights organisation reported on Thursday.
“Iraqi security forces have attacked medical workers for treating protesters since protests began on October 25, 2019, firing on medical workers, tents, and ambulances with tear gas and live ammunition,” the Human Right Watch (HRW) report read. “The attacks have left at least one medic dead.”
A doctor from Baghdad told HRW that he has seen security forces in Tahrir Square and on three Baghdad bridges fire tear gas cartridges at ambulances "at least five times since October 25.”
Medics are also facing detention on contentious grounds, according to the report.
“Some Federal Police fired live bullets at their tent, me and other medics fled, with security forces shooting at us as we ran,” another medic told the New York-based organization.
“The Federal Police chased them, detaining two medics who he said remain in detention, but he did not know if they have been charged with a crime," the report added.
Claims of human rights violations by security forces also continue to be made by the United Nations.
“The UN is receiving daily reports of new killings, new kidnappings, new arbitrary arrests, new beatings and new threats,” UN Special Representative to Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert confirmed in a statement to Iraq's Presidency of the Council of Representatives and heads of parliamentary blocs on Wednesday.
Hennis-Plasschaert called on the Iraqi parliament to start national dialogue so that people's voices on key reform can be heard.
“The United Nations is ready to engage or continues to engage with all parties to facilitate constructive dialogue. We will continue to be a partner for all Iraqis,” the statement read.
Since the start of the nationwide protests in Iraq on October 1, at least 319 protesters and members of the security forces have died and around 15,000 others have been wounded, according to both the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee and the United Nations.
Protests against corruption, a lack of basic services, and unemployment began in Baghdad on October 1, before spreading to other parts of the country.
However, they were met with deadly force, including the fire of live ammunition rounds and tear gas. Protests paused on October 8 as the Shiite religious pilgrimage of Arbaeen approached.
A second wave of protests began on October 25. In response to the violence enacted during the first wave of demonstrations, protesters upped the ante and demanded the overthrow of the government, a change of Iraq’s system to a presidential one, and the amendment of the 2005 constitution, among other demands.
Iraq's judiciary council released a statement on Thursday confirming that more than 1648 arrested protesters have been released from prisons since October 25. Their release came after no criminal charges were made against them.