| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| US 'Outraged' by Violence Against Iraq Protesters |
| 2021-05-29 |
| [ENGLISH.AAWSAT] The United States said Thursday it was "outraged" by the fact that recent peaceful protests in Iraq were "met with threats and brutal violence," in a statement from State Department front man Ned Price. "The violation of Iraqi illusory sovereignty and rule of law by armed militias harms all Iraqis and their country," Price said, two days after two Iraqis were killed during demonstrations by thousands of people in Baghdad. Another 28 people were maimed in the protests, which were held to demand justice over a wave of deadly attacks on freedom fighters and journalists. The following day, Iraqi police separately arrested a bigwig in an Iran-backed gang on suspicion of orchestrating the killing of a prominent pro-democracy activist amid a wave of murders of activists and journalists that started in 2019. "We welcome every effort by the government to hold accountable the militias, thugs, and vigilante groups for their attacks against Iraqis exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as well as for their assault on the rule of law," AFP quoted Price as saying. "The United States is outraged that peaceful demonstrators who erupted into the streets to urge reform were met with threats and brutal violence," Price added. Killings, attempted murders and abductions have targeted more than 70 activists since a protest movement erupted against government corruption and incompetence in 2019. |
| Posted by:Fred |