The agency recalls that it has asked that the protests “be peaceful” and that the security forces “exercise containment”
July 29 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United Nations has asked the Iraqi security forces to “cooperate” with the government to guarantee the protection of the right to protest, after the latest demonstrations by supporters of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr over the political blockade.
The UN has pointed out that “freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental rights that must be respected at all times”, while stressing that the UN “has consistently called for the protests in Iraq to be peaceful and for the security forces exercise restraint”.
“It is up to all security actors to cooperate with the Government of Iraq in its efforts to ensure freedom of peaceful assembly and the protection of all state institutions, diplomatic missions and personnel in Iraq and to address verified security violations in a timely manner. effective and appropriate, while guaranteeing full respect for Human Rights”, he stressed.
Hundreds of al-Sadr supporters stormed Iraq’s parliament on Wednesday to protest the nomination of Mohamed Shia al-Sudani as prime ministerial candidate by the Coordination Framework coalition, a coalition made up of pro-Iranian parties and militias.
Al Sudani was appointed on Monday by the aforementioned coalition in an attempt to unblock the country’s political landscape since the October elections, in which Sayirún, led by Al Sadr, won.
However, Sadr’s attempts to form a government have been blocked by the Coordination Framework, with which the cleric refused in May to reach an alliance. Thus, he even asked the independent parliamentarians to try to assemble the new Executive.
These parties expressed their rejection of the electoral results after a severe setback at the polls and even appealed them, although the Supreme Court of Iraq ratified them at the end of December. Since then, political tensions have risen and Parliament has been unable to hold regular sessions.
The parliamentarians, of an anticipated nature, were convened after the serious political crisis in which the country was plunged after the massive mobilizations registered in 2019, which forced the resignation of the Government and the approval of new electoral legislation.
The protests, which broke out in October 2019 and resulted in more than 550 deaths –according to the official balance provided in July 2020–, were a new example of the population’s disenchantment with the political class in the face of numerous cases of corruption. , the poor state of public services and the prevailing economic crisis in Iraq.
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