The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said it is obvious that the Iraqi government dealt with humiliation for a number of protesters against poor services and unemployment in Iraq over the past years, most recent incident in the city of Basra in southern Iraq a few days ago.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights expressed that "not holding any of the demonstrator's killers responsible can open the door to any action by some security men in killing other demonstrators in the future, and continue such actions can affect the role of the security services from beholding protection for the people to dangering them.”
On July 8, a demonstrator was killed in Basra province by Iraqi security forces firing live bullets at demonstrators protesting to poor services and lack of job opportunities in Basra province.
Although the head of the security committee in the Basra provincial council Jabbar al-Saadi confirmed the start of an investigation into the incident and promised defaulters to be held accountable, four days later no charges were filed against any security elements and the Iraqi government didn't live to her duties to hold them responsible.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said that those repeated attacks and deliberate killings of protesters in all governorates of Iraq during demonstrations and peaceful sit-ins can be only recognized as a part of behaviour for intimidating citizens to cease claiming their rights.
In an interview with the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, "in the event of the failure to implement the demands of the demonstrators and the irresponsibility for the death of Saad al-Mansouri, the demonstrations will turn into an open sit-in."
Wissam Mekki, a demonstrator wounded in the demonstrations, said in a video sent to the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights that "they were shot directly after the arrival of security forces to the demonstration in the area of Bahla, north of Basra."
He also added, "The demonstrations were peaceful and the only purpose of them was to improve services and provide jobs for young individuals."
On December 19, 2017, seven demonstrators were killed and 93 others were injured by security forces during a demonstration in Sulaymaniyah province demanding improved life conditions. Neither the federal government nor the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) held accountable for the perpetrators.
On June 29, 2017, a demonstrator was killed in the province of Najaf during his protest against poor services, but his killer was not held responsible, although the Iraqi Interior Ministry announced the day after the start of an investigation into his death.
On February 11, 2017, five demonstrators were killed and 320 injured. During a demonstration in Baghdad, slogans were raised demanding the change of the Electoral Commission and government reforms in all files.
On May 20, 2016, fires from the Green Zone protection force killed two demonstrators and injured 57 others during the demonstration where some of the protesters entered the Iraqi parliament.
On November 19, 2015, seven demonstrators were killed when they demonstrated near the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in the district of Qalatri, east of Sulaymaniyah, their file remains folded until this moment without accountability to their shooters.
On September 18, 2015, a demonstrator was killed in the province of Basra near the port of Faw during a demonstration where judiciary members were claiming their employment in a Korean company to establish a buffer at the site of the port.
The incident of killing the protester child Muntader Hilfi on July 15, 2015 is the most prominent, where he was shot by members of the Iraqi security forces when he participated in the protests that came out in the province, denouncing the lack of services.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said that "the Iraqi government is negligent in accounting perpetrators of their violations against demonstrators; it's unable to achieve justice for the victim families or compensate them morally for the suffering of their lost kids."
The Observatory also expressed that "dozens of investigative committees formed by the Iraqi government, all of which delayed their results and indirectly covered for the killers and contributed to the absence of justice and lack of respect for the rights of victims and their families."
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights request the finished mandate Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and his interior minister Qassem Al-Araji to provide the necessary protection for peaceful demonstrators and to prevent repeated attacks by security forces.
