Iraq
An Iraqi protester wounded the previous night in confrontations with security forces sits on July 27, 2020 on the ground in Baghdad's Tahrir square, where several protest tents were burnt the previous night. Photo: Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Speaking to the nation on state television, Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced an investigation into violent clashes between protestors and security forces on Sunday night, which left two demonstrators dead.
Security forces have "72 hours to reveal the results and outcomes of the investigations of the Sunday night incident near Tahrir Square in Baghdad," said Kadhimi. "Demonstrating is a legal right of all Iraqis and security forces have to protect them."
Sunday night’s demonstrations are part of a new wave of protests demanding electricity and basic services that have swept through Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces in July. Clashes have resumed in Tayaran Square near Baghdad's Tahrir Square Monday evening, as protesters and security forces battle for control of the square.
Iraqi activist Mohammed al-Tamimi told Rudaw on Monday in Tahrir Square that he sees parallels to Sunday night's violence against demonstrators with that of previous administrations
“What we witnessed yesterday in Tahrir Square by Kadhimi’s government was similar to what we used to face during the government of Adil Abdul-Mahdi,” al-Tamimi said. “We faced live ammunition by riot police units in Tayaran Square.”
Iraq has long suffered from chronic outages and shortages of electricity in a country where summer temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius. Rampant electricity shortages have consistently been a rallying call for protestors, with summer demonstrations erupting annually in Iraq’s southern provinces demanding electricity to survive the heat wave.
"I feel hurt to see my people suffering from a lack of electricity," added the Prime Minister, attributing the power shortages to previous corruption. "It is not fair to ask a government which is only 2 months old to pay the price."
Kadhimi claims security forces did not have any order to open fire against protesters, saying "any bullet against protesters is against our dignity."
Mass protests erupted across central and southern Iraq in October 2019, with overwhelmingly young crowds demanding jobs, services, and action against corruption. When demonstrators began to be killed by security forces and pro-Iran militias, activists began demanding an end to foreign interference in Iraqi affairs and called for the overthrow of the political elite.
Approximately 600 have been killed and more than 18,000 injured since October, according to human rights monitor Amnesty International.
With reporting by Lawk Ghafuri
Security forces have "72 hours to reveal the results and outcomes of the investigations of the Sunday night incident near Tahrir Square in Baghdad," said Kadhimi. "Demonstrating is a legal right of all Iraqis and security forces have to protect them."
Sunday night’s demonstrations are part of a new wave of protests demanding electricity and basic services that have swept through Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces in July. Clashes have resumed in Tayaran Square near Baghdad's Tahrir Square Monday evening, as protesters and security forces battle for control of the square.
Iraqi activist Mohammed al-Tamimi told Rudaw on Monday in Tahrir Square that he sees parallels to Sunday night's violence against demonstrators with that of previous administrations
“What we witnessed yesterday in Tahrir Square by Kadhimi’s government was similar to what we used to face during the government of Adil Abdul-Mahdi,” al-Tamimi said. “We faced live ammunition by riot police units in Tayaran Square.”
Iraq has long suffered from chronic outages and shortages of electricity in a country where summer temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius. Rampant electricity shortages have consistently been a rallying call for protestors, with summer demonstrations erupting annually in Iraq’s southern provinces demanding electricity to survive the heat wave.
"I feel hurt to see my people suffering from a lack of electricity," added the Prime Minister, attributing the power shortages to previous corruption. "It is not fair to ask a government which is only 2 months old to pay the price."
Kadhimi claims security forces did not have any order to open fire against protesters, saying "any bullet against protesters is against our dignity."
Mass protests erupted across central and southern Iraq in October 2019, with overwhelmingly young crowds demanding jobs, services, and action against corruption. When demonstrators began to be killed by security forces and pro-Iran militias, activists began demanding an end to foreign interference in Iraqi affairs and called for the overthrow of the political elite.
Approximately 600 have been killed and more than 18,000 injured since October, according to human rights monitor Amnesty International.
With reporting by Lawk Ghafuri
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