Baghdad-Sana
Iraqi President Barham Salih expressed his regret over the clashes that took place between the security forces and demonstrators protesting the results of the recent parliamentary elections, calling for an investigation into what happened to ensure that it does not happen again.
Saleh said on his Twitter account that peaceful demonstration is a constitutionally guaranteed right and should not deviate from its peaceful legal framework, calling on everyone to exercise restraint.
Saleh added that protecting public security is a national duty, and everyone must exercise restraint and put the national interest above all else.
For his part, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi directed a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the confrontations in the vicinity of the Green Zone in the capital, Baghdad, calling on the various political parties to calm down and resort to dialogue.
Al-Kazemi said in a statement that the instructions are strict for the security forces to professionally deal with the demonstrations and respect basic human rights, especially the right to demonstrate and express opinion, because it is one of the basics that the government has committed to.
Al-Kazemi appealed to the demonstrators to exercise their legitimate rights by adopting peace and avoiding violence in any form, level and means.
In turn, the Iraqi Ministry of Health announced that the death toll from the clashes between demonstrators and security forces in front of the Green Zone in Baghdad amounted to 125, from both sides, noting that most of the injuries were mild to moderate.
The ministry confirmed the mobilization of all its institutions and employees to provide all required medical services.
For its part, the coordinating framework of the forces rejecting the election results condemned the “repression and excessive use of violence and the burning of tents, despite their adherence to peaceful protests,” calling on the judicial authorities to take an urgent stance and hold those responsible for attacking protesters accountable.
The coordination framework called on the government to assume its responsibilities by providing protection to the demonstrators and conducting an immediate investigation, stressing support for the constitutionally guaranteed right to demonstrate and standing by the masses who demand justice and transparency in calculating and announcing the election results.