The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said that it is clear that the Iraqi government has dealt with the humiliation of a number of demonstrators over poor services and unemployment in Iraq over the past years, the most recent of which was an incident in the southern city of Basra a few days ago.
And the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights expressed that "not holding any of the demonstrator killers responsible could open the door to any action by some security men in killing other demonstrators in the future, and the continuation of such actions could affect the role of the security services who look to protect people from putting them at risk".
On July 8, a protester in Basra governorate was shot dead by Iraqi security forces with live ammunition on protesters protesting against poor services and lack of job opportunities in Basra governorate.
Although the head of the security committee in the Basra Provincial Council Jabbar Al-Saadi confirmed the start of the investigation into the incident, and promised to hold the defaulters accountable, after four days no charges were brought against any security elements and the Iraqi government. She did not abide by her duties to hold them accountable.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said that these repeated attacks and the deliberate killing of demonstrators in all governorates of Iraq during peaceful demonstrations and sit-ins can only be recognized as part of a behavior to intimidate citizens to stop demanding their rights.
And in an interview with the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, "If the demands of the demonstrators are not implemented and there is no responsibility for the killing of Saad Al-Mansoori, the demonstrations will turn into an open sit-in."
Wissam Makki, one of the demonstrators who was injured in the demonstrations, said in a video recording sent to the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, "They were shot right after the security forces arrived at the demonstration in Bahla area, north of Basra."
He added that "the demonstrations were peaceful, and their sole purpose was to improve services and provide job opportunities for young people".
On December 19, 2017, seven demonstrators were killed and 93 others were injured by security forces during a demonstration in Sulaymaniyah, calling for better living conditions. Neither the federal government nor the KRG has been held accountable for the perpetrators.
On June 29, 2017, a protester was killed in Najaf Governorate while protesting against poor services, but his killer was not held accountable despite the announcement by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior the day after the start of an investigation into his death.
On February 11, 2017, five demonstrators were killed and 320 wounded. During a demonstration in Baghdad, slogans were raised calling for the election commission to be changed and government reforms in all files.
On May 20, 2016, fires from the Green Zone Protection Force killed two protesters and injured 57 others during a demonstration in which some protesters entered the Iraqi parliament building.
On November 19, 2015, seven demonstrators were killed when they demonstrated near the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in the Qalatri district, east of Sulaymaniyah, and their file is still closed until this moment, without accountability for those who shot them.
On September 18, 2015, a demonstrator was killed in Basra, near the port of Al-Faw, during a demonstration as members of the judiciary were demanding their employment in a Korean company to construct a barrier at the port site.
The most prominent incident was the killing of the protesting child, Muntazer Al-Halfi, on July 15, 2015, when he was shot by members of the Iraqi security forces while participating in the protests that took place in the province, denouncing the lack of services.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said, "The Iraqi government is negligent in holding the perpetrators of their violations against the demonstrators accountable, and it cannot achieve justice for the families of the victims or morally compensate them for the suffering of their lost sons'.
The observatory also expressed that "dozens of investigation committees formed by the Iraqi government all delayed their results and indirectly covered the killers and contributed to the absence of justice and the lack of respect for the rights of the victims and their families."
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights demands the end of the assignment of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his Interior Minister Qassim al-Araji to provide the necessary protection for peaceful demonstrators and to prevent repeated security attacks.
