Because he allegedly attacked demonstrators in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a teenager was lynched there by the crowd. In the morning, there was a dispute between the 17-year-old and some demonstrators on Al-Wathba Square, police officials said. The demonstrators then lit the teenager's house in the square and dragged him out without the police being able to prevent it.
Videos on the social networks show how the teenager, who is only clothed in underpants, is dragged over the ground over a distance of dozens of meters. Many people kick him and sting him with knives. Policemen can not be seen. Finally, it can be seen how the teenager is hung on his feet with his head down at a traffic light in the middle of the square.
According to eyewitnesses, his body was later removed and brought to the Forensic Medicine. The incident took place near Tahrir Square, one of the centers of protests against corruption and mismanagement in Iraq since the beginning of October. In a statement signed by the "demonstrators of Tahrir," the government opponents distanced themselves from the murder, assuring them they had nothing to do with it.
Repeated murders and abductions
In politics, the incident triggered a debate. In the environment of influential preacher Moktada al-Sadr, if the perpetrators were not detected, he would remove his militiamen whom he had sent after a bloody attack on the demonstrators on Friday for their protection. The pro-Iranian militia leader Kais al-Chasali, for his part, condemned "the chaos, lawlessness and weakness of the security forces."
The mood among the demonstrators is tense after more recent killings and kidnappings. They fear that "saboteurs" discredit the protests and incite the demonstrators to violence.
On Friday, armed men attacked a car park occupied by the demonstrators in Baghdad and killed 24 people. Who is behind the attack is so far uncleared.