Iraq PM says ‘mistakes happen’ after UN slams protest abuses

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Adil Abdul-Mahdi, the embattled Iraqi prime minister, admitted human rights violations have occurred during Iraq’s nationwide protests, claiming “mistakes happen”, after a new UN report called for restraint. 

Protests demanding jobs, basic services, and action against corruption began in Baghdad on October 1 before spreading nationwide. 

The unrest died down during the Shiite religious observance of Arbaeen before resuming on October 25 – this time with calls to sweep away the old political parties that have held power in Iraq since the US-led invasion of 2003.

At least 320 protesters and security force personnel have died and 15,000 wounded since the protests began, according to Iraq’s parliamentary human rights committee.

Daily reports from the independent Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights put the number of dead at 340.

Iraq’s security forces have been widely condemned for their use of military-grade tear gas canisters fired directly into crowds of protesters, causing fatalities and catastrophic head injuries.

During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, details of which were published on Wednesday, Iraqi PM Abdul-Mahdi responded to a new UN report criticizing his government’s handling of the protests. 

“The office of the Iraqi PM has received a report about the human rights violations in Iraq amid the current protests,” Abdul-Mahdi told officials. “The UN report highlighted the killings, wounding and detention against the protesters in Iraq.”

The Iraqi government admits there are human rights violations committed by some individuals against the protesters. However, “mistakes happen, and we have made mistakes and it is okay, because what is important is how to mitigate those mistakes”, Abdul-Mahdi said.

Last month, the UN special envoy to Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visited Tahrir Square in Baghdad to listen to the demands of the protesters to convey them to the Iraqi government.  

She urged the protesters to start a “dialogue” with the government to halt the deadly unrest.

The UN has already published two detailed reports highlighting human rights violations and the use of lethal force, including snipers using live rounds.  

Thousands of protesters have been arrested during the unrest, with the majority released without charge. The UN report urged the Iraqi government to “respect” prisoners’ rights.

“The UN report thanked the Iraqi judiciary for releasing the protesters from custody,” Abdul-Mahdi said. “The UN report highlighted the role of the Iraqi judiciary in managing the prisoners with responsibility.”

By November 24, the Iraqi judiciary had released 2,500 protesters from custody, the PM said. “However, 240 protesters remain in custody for investigation.”

Abdul-Mahdi insisted his government is against further violence but would not tolerate “trouble makers”.

“There is violence coming out from the protester’s side, and we will make sure to not stop and stare while the trouble makers are spreading violence across the country,” Abdul-Mahdi warned. “Blocking roads, bridges, or blocking governmental staff from going to their workplace will be treated according to the Iraqi law.”

Rudaw English has previously reported the mistreatment of protesters held in police custody. 

New York-based Human Rights Watch says the Iraqi government has detained people for simply supporting the protesters on social media.  

Internet services are routinely cut across Iraq’s central and southern provinces to prevent protesters from coordinating and to cut them off from the outside world.  

Since the outbreak of unrest – the worst violence Iraq has seen since the defeat of the Islamic State group (ISIS) – the international community has called for dialogue and restraint.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement last week urging the Iraqi government to respect the “demands and rights” of the Iraqi people. The US government examining “fresh sanctions” on some Iraqis accused of committed abuses against protesters.

Iraq’s defense minister told France 24 last week that those killing protesters are a “third party” – not the Iraqi security forces, “including the PMF”.   

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), known in Arabic as Hashd Al-Shaabi, was created in 2014 following a fatwa, or religious call to action, from Iraq’s highest Shiite religious authority, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in response to the ISIS insurgency. 

Although measures have been taken to fully integrate the PMF into Iraq’s military apparatus, many units continue to operate independently or under Iranian control. 

Protesters say the masked men who routinely fire upon them are Iran-backed militiamen, not regular Iraqi security personnel.