Iraq’s judiciary to investigate Dhi Qar massacre

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s highest judicial authority has announced the formation of a committee to investigate the horrifying death toll in the southern province of Dhi Qar, where 25 protesters were killed and 260 injured in clashes over a two-day period this week.

At least 320 protesters and security forces personnel have been killed and 15,000 wounded since the protests began on October 1, according to Iraq’s parliamentary human rights committee.

Now, the Supreme Judicial Council, the highest judicial authority in Iraq, has decided to open an investigation.

“The High Judicial Council has formed an investigative board composed of three of the deputies of the head of the Dhi Qar Appellate Court for urgent investigation into the events of the protester killings in the past two days,” Abdul Sattar al-Bayraktar, the Supreme Judicial Council spokesperson, said in a statement Friday. 

The court is not the only one that has taken measures to investigate the killing of protesters. On Thursday, the Security Media Cell of the Joint Operations Command of Iraq announced that, “due to the importance of controlling security and implementing” the law, Iraq’s Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has decided to establish “crisis cells” in Iraq’s protest-hit provinces. 

Provincial governors, who are the highest local executive authorities, are to head these cells, staffed by military commanders. It is hoped the cells will facilitate better coordination between civilian and military authorities amid the protests.

Staff General Jameel al-Shammari was seconded to Dhi Qar’s crisis cell. However, just hours later, the Security Media Cell announced he was being recalled to Baghdad to “clarify” what had happened, as reports of mass casualties emerged.

This is not the first time protesters have died while Shammari has been in a position of command. Last year, during deadly protests that mainly focused around Iraq’s oil-rich yet poverty-wracked southern province of Basra, Shammari was at the helm of Basra Operations Command. He was later removed by then-Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Iraq’s PM now has ordered the formation of an investigative committee headed by his military adviser to investigate events in Dhi Qar and the holy city of Najaf. 

In Najaf, 15 people were killed and 400 wounded overnight, sources in Najaf, who asked to remain anonymous fearing repercussions, told Rudaw. 

Dhi Qar’s governor Adil al-Dikheli announced his resignation in response to the killings. 

“Because we are in exceptional circumstances, today we announced to you and put before you our resignation from our position as a protest to what happened, and to clear the local government of the responsibility of what happened,” Dikheli.

He demanded an “instant, thorough” investigation into what happened. In an earlier announcement, the governor accused military commander Shammari of making unilateral decisions and ordering the shooting of protesters.

“We want to point out that the security measures that were taken in Dhi Qar province by Staff [General] Jameel al-Shammari and military commanders were not in consultation or knowledge of the local administration, and it was an individual decision with the security leaders,” said Dikheli.  

Talal Bilal, deputy governor of Najaf, also announced his resignation on Thursday night. 

“There is no other option with this government. That is why, in solidarity with the Iraqi people, I hereby announce my resignation from my position as the deputy governor of Najaf,” Bilal said.

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