EASO
Iraq
The protest movement
and treatment ofprotesters and activists
Country of Origin Information Report
October 2020

More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu)

ISBN 978-92-9485-645-6

doi: 10.2847/886730

BZ-02-20-560-EN-N© European Asylum Support Office, 2020
Cover photo © Mondalawry, Demonstrators in Iraq, 1 November 2019, url (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. For any use or reproduction of photos orother material that is not under the EASO copyright, permission must be sought directly from the copyrightholders.

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Acknowledgements
EASO would like to acknowledge Norway, Landinfo – Country of Origin Information Centre as thedrafter of this report.

The following department reviewed the report:
Austria, Country of Origin Department, Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum

Additionally, the following external organisation reviewed the report:
ACCORD, Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

It must be noted that the review carried out by the mentioned departments, experts or organisations
contributes to the overall quality of the report but does not necessarily imply their formal
endorsement of the final report, which is the full responsibility of EASO.

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Contents
Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................. 3Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Disclaimer................................................................................................................................................ 6
Glossary and Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... 7
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Methodology ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Defining the terms of reference ..................................................................................................... 8
Quality control................................................................................................................................ 8
Sources and information collection.................................................................................................... 8
Structure and use of the report .......................................................................................................... 9
Map ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
1. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 11
1.1 Socioeconomic and political grievances ..................................................................................... 11
1.2 Protests in 2019 prior to October ............................................................................................... 12
2. Protests from 1 October 2019 .......................................................................................................... 14
2.1 The protest movement in Baghdad and the southern provinces............................................... 14
2.1.1 The protesters’ demands .................................................................................................... 14
2.1.2 Main protests and locations................................................................................................ 16
2.1.3 Who takes part in the protests?.......................................................................................... 19
2.1.4 How are the protests organised? ........................................................................................ 20
2.1.5 Political initiatives in response to the protests ................................................................... 21
2.2 Other protests and protests in the KRI ....................................................................................... 23
3. Treatment of protesters.................................................................................................................... 27
3.1 Responses to the protest movement in Baghdad and the southern provinces ......................... 27
3.1.1 Freedom of assembly and the right to protest ................................................................... 27
3.1.2 Responses during protests .................................................................................................. 27
3.1.3 Arrests, kidnappings, and forced disappearances .............................................................. 29
3.1.4 Detention and ill treatment ................................................................................................ 30
3.1.5 Targeting of individuals ....................................................................................................... 31
3.1.6 Media and access to information........................................................................................ 32
3.2 Responses to other protests and protests in the KRI ................................................................. 33
4. Accountability and access to redress measures ............................................................................... 34

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

4.1 Investigations into the excessive use of force ............................................................................ 34
4.2 Accountability initiatives and implementation in practice......................................................... 35
4.3 Access to redress measures........................................................................................................ 36
4.3.1 Access to effective redress measures ................................................................................. 36
4.3.2 Relocation and the ability to avoid being targeted ............................................................. 36
Annex 1: Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 37
Annex 2: Terms of Reference ................................................................................................................ 55

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Disclaimer
This report was written according to the EASO COI Report Methodology (2012)1. The report is basedon carefully selected sources of information. All sources used are referenced.
The information contained in this report has been researched, evaluated and analysed with utmost
care. However, this document does not claim to be exhaustive. If a particular event, person ororganisation is not mentioned in the report, this does not mean that the event has not taken place orthat the person or organisation does not exist.
Furthermore, this report is not conclusive as to the determination or merit of any particularapplication for international protection. Terminology used should not be regarded as indicative of aparticular legal position.
‘Refugee’, ‘risk’ and similar terminology are used as generic terminology and not in the legal sense as
applied in the EU Asylum Acquis, the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the
Status of Refugees.
Neither EASO nor any person acting on its behalf may be held responsible for the use which may bemade of the information contained in this report.
The drafting of this report ended on 8 August 2020. Any event taking place after this date is notincluded in this report. More information on the reference period for this report can be found in themethodology section of the Introduction.

1 The EASO COI Report Methodology can be downloaded from the EASO COI Portal

https://coi.easo.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2019_EASO_COI_Report_Methodology.pdf

6Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Glossary and Abbreviations
Al-Hikma Movement

Known as Tayyar al-hikma al-watani, or the National Wisdom
Movement, a political group/party led by Ammar al-Hakim

AAH, or Asa’ib ahl al-haqq
PMF

Iran-aligned armed group with a prominent position within the

IHCHR

Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights

Harakat hizballah al-nujaba

Iran-aligned armed group that take part in the PMF

Kata’ib hizballah

Iranian-backed armed group that has a dominant position within
the PMF

KRI

Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Muhasasa

Arabic term used to describe Iraq’s ethno-sectarian,
proportional, quota system used to distribute political positions

OHCHR

UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

PM

Prime Minister

PMF

The Popular Mobilisation Forces, also known as the Popular
Mobilisation Units (PMU) or al-Hashd al-Sha’abi

Saraya talia al-khurasani

Iran-aligned armed group that take part in the PMF

UNAMI

United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq

UNOCHAUN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

7Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Introduction
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of political protests that have taken place in Iraq
from 1 January 2019 until 31 July 2020, and the treatment by state agencies and other actors of thoseorganising and/or taking part in such protests. The main focus of the report is on the protests thatbegan in Baghdad and the southern provinces in October 2019, and which continued for several
months, as these constitute the bulk of the protests that have taken place within the reference period.
Protests taking place in other locations and/or concerning other issues will also be covered, althoughthese were limited both in scope and frequency, as requested in the terms of reference.

Methodology
Research for the report was done in line with the EASO COI Report Methodology2, and the report was
written in accordance with the EASO Writing and Referencing Guide for EASO Country of Origin
Information (COI) Reports.3 Research for the report was conducted in June and July 2020. Additional
information was added following peer review feedback, before the report was finalised on
25 August 2020.

Defining the terms of reference
The terms of reference were defined in consulation with COI and policy experts from EU+ countries,
along with the drafter of this report, within the framework of developing the update for the EASOCountry Guidance on Iraq. The reference period was January 2019 to 31 July 2020. Terms of Reference
for this report can be found in the Annex.

Quality control
In line with the EASO COI Report Methodology, peer review was performed by COI researchers fromthe departments listed as reviewers in the Acknowledgements section.

Sources and information collection
This report is based on a number of publicly available sources. These include but are not limited toreports and statements from United Nations agencies such as the United Nations Assistance Mission
for Iraq (UNAMI) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); Iraqi
governmental and official sources such as the Prime Minister’s office, committees of the Iraqi
Parliament Council, and the semi-independent Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR);
international rights groups such as Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI), and theCommittee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); reports from governmental agencies of other countries, suchas the US State Department; academic institutions and think tanks such as the Middle East Institute(MEI) and the Atlantic Council (AC); important sources of opinion and guidance such as the Friday
sermons given on behalf of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani; and Iraqi and international media.
With regard to Iraqi media, the US State Department points out that it ‘was active and expressed avariety of views, largely reflecting owners’ political viewpoints (…) Political parties strongly influenced,
or controlled outright, most of the several hundred daily and weekly print publications, as well as

2 EASO, EASO Country of Origin Information (COI) Report Methodology, June 2019, url
3 EASO, Writing and Referencing Guide for EASO Country of Origin Information (COI) Reports, June 2019, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

dozens of radio and television stations.’4 Moreover, media also engaged in self-censorship in order tocomply with government restrictions and due to fear of reprisals.5 As follows, media reports, like othersources, should be read and interpreted within their relevant contexts. In order to avoid bias andmisinterpretations, and in line with EASO COI Report Methodology6, information has been compared,
contrasted, and corroborated through different sources whenever possible and relevant, a processcommonly referred to as cross-checking, or triangulation.7
Information has been gathered from various online platforms, including both websites and social
media such as Twitter, Facebook and Telegram. Only information from official accounts on social
media, such as the Twitter account of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office, has been used. All the materialreferred to has been downloaded and stored by the author. All sources referred to are listed in the
bibliography.
This report has relied upon both English- and Arabic-language sources in order to provide acomprehensive picture of the protests and events covered. The expert from Landinfo who wrote thisreport in English frequently used Arabic sources. Most Arabic sources quoted, including all newspaper
articles, social media posts and information from government websites, have been informallytranslated from Arabic into English by the expert. Due to the volume of Arabic sources used, for thecitation of all these non-English sources, this report does not follow the EASO Writing and Referencing
Guide signalling in the citation each time a source is translated. This is for maximal readability andefficiency.

Structure and use of the report
The report begins by briefly describing the background and the wider context of the protests that havetaken place in Iraq over the past few years and the social and political grievances on which these werebased, before it provides a short overview of protests prior to 1 October 2019. It then moves on to
the protests from October and onwards, describing how they began, the demands raised, the extent
and scope of the demonstrations, how they were organised, and the political response it drew fromthe authorities. The third chapter deals with the treatment of protesters by state agencies and otheractors, including the use of violence against those taking part, the targeting of organisers and activists,arrests and detention of protesters, as well as attacks on the security services and public and private
property. The final section deals with access to redress measures, as well as investigations into theuse of violence and accountability on part of the actors involved. Throughout these sections, separate
sub-chapters deal with protests in other parts of the country, and/or focusing on other issues. At thetime of writing, it is unclear whether or not protests will resume on a large scale following themeasures imposed in Iraq in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as detailed below.

4 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, pp. 26-27
5 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, pp. 26-27
6 EASO, EASO Country of Origin Information (COI) Report Methodology, June 2019, url, pp. 14-15
7 Stake, R.E., Qualitative Case Studies, 2005.

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Map

Map 1: UN, July 2014, Iraq8

8 UN, Map No. 3835 Rev. 6, July 2014, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

1. Background
Political protests have taken place regularly in Iraq over the past few years but have varied in scope
and focus between different regions. In late 2012 and 2013, protests took place in Sunni-majority
areas, including the provinces of Ninewa, Anbar, Diyala, Salah al-Din and Kirkuk9, that led to frequent
clashes with security forces10, some of which were infiltrated by extremist groups.11 The protestors
accused PM al-Maliki of discriminating against and marginalising the Sunni population.12 In the
Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)13, there have been recurring protests or attempted protests against
austerity measures and unpaid wages following the cut in government funding transfers from
Baghdad as well as the fall in oil prices in 2014.14 In Baghdad and the southern Shia-majority provinces,protests have taken place since 2011, often focusing on similar grievances related to corruption anda lack of opportunities and services.15

1.1 Socioeconomic and political grievances
Iraq has a young population, with 60 % being under the age of 25.16 Many young people, however, areexcluded from the labour market, and as of 2016, youth unemployment stood at 36 %, compared to
16 % in the overall population.17 According to the World Bank (WB), poverty has ‘risen sharply’ overthe past few years, with the poverty rate reaching 30 % in the south of the country.18 The state has
proved unable to provide continuous electricity and sufficient amounts of safe drinking water,
exacerbating the effects of high summer temperatures.19 At the same time, Iraq is ranked as one of
the world’s most corrupt countries by Transparency International (TI).20 The state is the largest
employer in the country21, and the US State Department (USDOS) reported that nepotism andmisappropriation of funds have been ‘common at all levels and across all branches of government’.22
Protesters have seen these issues as connected, accusing the political elite of enriching themselves
and their allies at the expense of opportunities and services for ordinary Iraqis, squandering thecountry’s oil wealth.23 In the summer of 2018, the lack of adequate services became acute in the city

9 New York Time (The), Dozens Killed in Battles Across Iraq as Sunnis Escalate Protests Against Government, 23 April 2013,

url; BBC, Iraqi Sunni protest clashes in Hawija leave many dead, 23 April 2013, url; Guardian (The), Iraq protests signal
growing tension between Sunni and Shia communities, 26 December 2012, url
10 See for instance: BBC, Iraqi Sunni protest clashes in Hawija leave many dead, 23 April 2013, url
11 Badawi, T., Why Arab Sunnis are disengaged from Iraq’s protests, AC, 7 February 2020, url; BBC, Iraqi Sunni protest
clashes in Hawija leave many dead, 23 April 2013, url
12 BBC, Iraqi Sunni protest clashes in Hawija leave many dead, 23 April 2013, url; Guardian (The), Iraq protests signal
growing tension between Sunni and Shia communities, 26 December 2012, url
13 The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is governed by the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) under the Iraqi
Constitution, and responsible for the governorates of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Dohuk.
14 Reuters, Protests intensify in Iraqi Kurdistan amid economic crisis, 9 February 2016, url; NRT, Protesters briefly blockmajor road in Sulaimani to demand KRG pay salaries, create job opportunities, 21 June 2020, url
15 Hasan, H., Iraq Is Currently Being Shaken by Violent Protests, Carnegie, 4 October 2019, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth
protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url
16 WB, Iraq Economic Monitor : Toward Reconstruction, Economic Recovery and Fostering Social Cohesion, 2018, url, p. 14
17 WB, Jobs in Iraq : A Primer on Job Creation in the Short-Term, 2018, url, p. 6
18 WB, Iraq Economic Monitor : Toward Reconstruction, Economic Recovery and Fostering Social Cohesion, 2018, url, p. 919 BBC, Iraq sweats in near-record heatwave, 22. July 2016, url; Dourian, K., Iraq’s Electricity Challenges Mount as Oil
Revenue Slows to a Trickle, AGSIW, 15 May 2020, url; Al-Jazeera, Electricity cuts across Iraq make life unbearable insummer heat, 31 July 2018, url
20 TI, Country Data – Iraq, n.d., url
21 France24, Still in streets, Iraqis say problem is poverty, 4 December 2019, url
22 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 42
23 DW, Iraq protests: Demonstrators in Basra storm Iran's consulate, 7 September 2018, url; DW, What's behind theprotests in Iraq?, 5 October 2019, url; Dodge, T., Corruption Continues to Destabilize Iraq, Chatham House, 1 October 2019,11

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activistsof Basra, when contaminated drinking water hospitalised thousands of people.24 This sparked threemonths of on and off protests, which at times were met by ‘excessive use of force’ on part of theauthorities25, leaving several people dead and injured.26 Protesters in the city accused Iran-backed
parties of interfering in Iraqi politics and sharing the responsibility for Iraq’s many problems, andattacked the Iranian consulate and shouted anti-Iran slogans.27 The protests spread to other parts ofsouthern Iraq as well as Baghdad, with demands focused on jobs, better services, and an end tocorruption.28
The above-mentioned protests were not reported to have spread the Sunni-majority areas in westernand northern Iraq, nor to the KRI. In the KRI, however, protests against austerity measures and unpaid
wages have taken place regularly. For instance, in February 201629, and again in March and April
201830, public employees held protest and/or engaged in strikes in several cities. In the latter case,
Human Rights Watch reports that both journalists and protesters were detained and subjected tobeatings as the authorities sought to quell demonstrations.31

1.2 Protests in 2019 prior to OctoberOn 22 March 2019, anti-government protests erupted in Mosul following a ferry accident the day
before in which almost 100 people lost their lives.32 The protesters blamed corruption and negligenceby the local government for the accident. The Iraqi parliament swiftly voted to investigate the accident
as well as to fire the Governor of the Ninewa province33, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.34 On
15 May, four people were reportedly killed and 17 injured in Najaf in protests initiated by Muqtada
al-Sadr.35 A few days later, ‘thousands of supporters’ of al-Sadr took part in demonstrations
demanding Iraq stay out of any conflict between the US and Iran.36 In early August, protesters
reportedly blocked the Mosul-Erbil road in response to the Prime Minister’s decision to withdraw
PMF-forces from the area.37

url; Hasan, H., Iraq Is Currently Being Shaken by Violent Protests, Carnegie, 4 October 2019, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth
protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url;
24 Human Rights Watch stated that 118 000 people were hospitalized with symptoms related to water quality, whereas
NPR and Vox refer to ‘thousands’ of hospitalisations HRW, World Report 2020 – Iraq, 2020, url; NPR, Months Of Protests
Roil Iraq's Oil Capital Basra, 27 September 2018, url; Vox, The violent protests in Iraq, explained, 8 September 2018, url
25 HRW, World Report 2019 – Iraq, 2019, url
26 Reuters, Unrest intensifies in Iraq as Iranian consulate and oil facility stormed, 7 September 2018, url; HRW, World
Report 2019 – Iraq, 2019, url; BBC, Basra protests: Rioters attack Iran consulate, 7 September 2018, url; HRW, Iraq: Security
Forces Fire on Protesters, 24 July 2018, url; AI, Iraq: Effective investigations needed into death of protesters in Basra, 7September 2018, url
27 Guardian (The), Protesters set fire to Iranian consulate in Basra, 7 September 2018, url
28 DW, Protests spread from oil-rich Basra across southern Iraq, 15 July 2018, url
29 Reuters, Protests intensify in Iraqi Kurdistan amid economic crisis, 9 February 2016, url
30 HRW, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Protesters Beaten, Journalists Detained, 15 April 2018, url; Denmark, The Danish
Immigration Service and Norway, Landinfo, Northern Iraq - Security situation and the situation for internally displaced
persons (IDPs) in the disputed areas, incl. possibility to enter and access the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), November
2018, url, p. 25
31 HRW, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Protesters Beaten, Journalists Detained, 15 April 2018, url
32 Reuters, Grief turns to anti-government anger after boat capsize in Iraq's Mosul, 22 March 2019, url; EPIC, ISHM: MARCH
15-21, 2019, 21 March 2019, url
33 Iraqi Parliament Council, 2019 / ‫ آذار‬24 / ‫) االحد‬5( ‫[ قرارات وتوصيات الجلسة‬Decisions and recommendations from session 5,
Sunday 24 March 2019], 24 March 2019, url
34 Al-Mada Paper, ‫ أيام من إقالته‬3 ‫[ القضاء يالحق محافظ نينوى بعد‬The Judiciary is pursuing the Governor of Nineweh three days
after his dismissal], 27 March 2019, url
35 Kurdistan24, Deadly anti-corruption protests restart in Iraq’s Najaf, 16 May 2019, url
36 Middle East Eye, Thousands of Iraqis protest against potential war between US and Iran, 24 May 2019, url
37 Rudaw, Iraqi PM assures eventual Hashd al-Shaabi withdrawal from Nineveh Plains, 10 August 2019, url. The Popular
Mobilisation Forces (PMF), also known as the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) or al-Hashd al-Sha’bi, is an umbrellaorganization consisting of a number of militias, formed in the summer of 2014 with a stated aim of fighting the so-called

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

In May 2019, protesters once again took to the streets in Baghdad, Basra, and other parts of southern
Iraq, demanding better services and opportunities, and an end to corruption.38 In late June and early
July, security forces cracked down on protests in Basra, arresting a number of demonstrators as well
as journalists. Protesters also reported experiencing intimidation by security forces and ‘armed
groups’.39 On 19 July, ‘thousands’ of supporters of the Hikma-movement40 demonstrated in Baghdad
and southern provinces, demanding better services and an end to corruption.41 Also in July, a ‘generalcall to demonstrate’ appeared on social media.42 In July, August, and September, university graduates
held demonstrations and sit-ins outside government ministries in Baghdad, demanding jobs andopportunities.43 By September, activists online were calling for people to take part in protests on
1 October.44 On 27 September, the government of PM Adel Abdel Mahdi announced thedecommissioning of Lieutenant General Abdel Wahhab al-Saadi, the widely respected deputy head of
the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) seen as a hero of the fight against ISIS.45 Al-Saadi was moved to adesk job in the Defence Ministry.46 The move, criticised for yielding to the interests of Iran and their
allies in the PMF, sparked anger online and is seen as an important contributing factor to the popularmobilisation that followed.47

Islamic State (IS). Since 2016, the PMF has formally and legally been part of the Iraqi state’s security apparatus: Knights, M.
et. al., Honored not contained. The Future of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, WINEP, March 2020, url, pp. 3-9
38 Sweden, Lifos, Lägesanalys: Demonstrationarna i Irak – evolution eller revolution? [Situation analysis: The
demonstrations in Iraq – evolution or revolution?], 2 December 2019, url, p. 5; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9
October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 3
39 Middle East Eye, Threats and arrests face Basra activists as they call for jobs, water and electricity, 6 July 2019, url;National (The), Worries over warnings to Iraqi media covering Basra protests, 4 July 2019, url
40 Political group/party led by Ammar al-Hakim, which on 16 June 2019 declared itself part of the parliamentary opposition,
albeit a ‘loyal’ (to the government) opposition. See: Al-Rahim, R., A shift in Iraqi politics: An opposition emerges, AC, 16 July
2019, url
41 Rudaw, People protest lack of services, water across Iraq, 19 July 2019, url
42 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 3
43 Al-Jazeera, Iraq protests: Thousands of graduates demand jobs from government, 5 September 2019, url
44 Sweden, Lifos, Lägesanalys: Demonstrationarna i Irak – evolution eller revolution? [Situation analysis: The
demonstrations in Iraq – evolution or revolution?], 2 December 2019, url, p. 7; Al-Amal, and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Reporton the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of October 2019, 10 November 2019, url, p. 1
45 VOA, Controversy Grips Iraq After Removal of Top Commander, 28 September 2019, url
46 Euronews, Is this Iraqi General behind Iraq's wave of protests?, 3 October 2019, url
47 International Crisis Group, Widespread Protests Point to Iraq’s Cycle of Social Crisis, 10 October 2019, url; Sweden, Lifos,
Lägesanalys: Demonstrationarna i Irak – evolution eller revolution? [Situation analysis: The demonstrations in Iraq –evolution or revolution?], 2 December 2019, url, p. 7; VOA, Controversy Grips Iraq After Removal of Top Commander, 28
September 2019, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14
October 2019, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

2. Protests from 1 October 2019
2.1 The protest movement in Baghdad and the southern provinces
On 1 October, protests in Baghdad and several other provinces marked the beginning of ‘the largest
mass protest movement in Iraq’s recent memory’48, lasting for several months. The protests can bedivided into three stages. First, protests took place from 1 until 9 October 2019, when they werepaused due to the Shia holiday of Arbaeen and the violence experienced.49 Calls quickly went out for
new protests to begin on 25 October 201950, and these lasted until March/April 2020, when theylargely ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.51 It should be noted that a brief pause in the protests
occurred following the killing of the commander of the Quds force of the IRGC, Qassim Sulaimani, andthe deputy leader of the PMF, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020.52
Finally, new protests began in May and June 2020, albeit with markedly fewer participants.53 The
demonstrations have been seen as part of the same protest movement, albeit a loosely defined one
without an organised leadership, but unified by similar demands, tactics, and in terms of thedemographics of the participants.54

2.1.1 The protesters’ demands
The protests did not have a leadership that could present demands on behalf of those taking part55,
but according to available sources, key demands uniting the movement can be identified. From theoutset, the demands raised were recognisable from previous protests.56 Protesters called for
economic reforms, jobs and opportunities for young people, social justice, better services, better andimpartial governance, increased accountability, and an end to corruption.57 In addition, protesters

48 UNAMI, For Iraq – The United Nations in Iraq 2019, 31 March 2020, url, p. 5
49 New York Times (The), ‘All of Them Are Thieves’: Iraqis Defy Security Forces to Protest Corruption, 25 October 2019, url;

Al-Amal, and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Report on the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of October 2019, 10 November 2019,url, p. 1; Alhassani, M., ECFR The Evolution of Iraq’s Protests: Excessive Force Pushes Protesters to Adapt, WINEP, 4
February 2020, url
50 Al-Mada Paper, 50 ‫[ دعوى قضائية تالحق رئيس الحكومة والجيش وفصائل الحشد بسبب قمع التظاهرات‬50 Lawsuits against the PM, thearmy, and the PMF for suppressing the demonstrations], 14 October 2019, url; VOA, Firebrand Cleric Green-Lights Fresh
Protests in Iraq, 20 October 2019, url
51 UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 6 May 2020, url, para.
15; Asharq al-Awsat, Coronavirus Brings Abrupt End to Iraq Protest Movement, 22 March 2020, url
52 Gulf News, After brief pause, Iraq anti-government protests resume, 20 January 2020, url; Al-Jazeera, Hashd deputy Abu
Mahdi al-Muhandis: Iran's man in Baghdad, 3 January 2020, url; New York Times (The), U.S. Strike in Iraq Kills Qassim
Suleimani, Commander of Iranian Forces, 2 January 2020, url. The IRGC is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
53 Al-Arabi al-Jadid, ‫ الكشف عن قتلة المتظاهرين وإقالة المحافظي‬:‫ محافظات عراقية‬4‫[ احتجاجات بـ‬Protests in four Iraqi provinces:disclosure of the killers of protesters and the resignation of the governors], 7 June 2020, url; National (The), Iraq’s newprime minister orders protesters released as rallies resume, 10 May 2020, url;
54 Ali, Z. and Khalaf, S., In Iraq, demonstrators demand change — and the government fights back, 9 October 2019, url;
Hasan, H., Iraq Is Currently Being Shaken by Violent Protests, Carnegie, 4 October 2019, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth
protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9
October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 3; Iraq, Standing Committee on Human Rights – Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫تقرير‬‫[ لجنة حقوق االنسان عن التظاهرات يف العراق‬The Report of the Standing Committee on Human Rights on the Demonstrations inIraq], 17 November 2019, url, p. 4
55 BBC, The Iraq protests explained in 100 and 500 words, 2 December 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9
October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 3
56 US, CRS, Iraq: Protests and the Future of U.S. Partnership, 12 November 2019, url
57 UNAMI, UN Special Representative meets protesters, calls for calm and stresses the importance of a direct dialogue, 2October 2019, url; Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, not sectarian identities, 31 October 2019, url;Iraq, Standing Committee on Human Rights – Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫[ تقرير لجنة حقوق االنسان عن التظاهرات يف العراق‬The
Report of the Standing Committee on Human Rights on the Demonstrations in Iraq], 17 November 2019, url, p. 4; DW,

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

expressed support for the decommissioned lieutenant general al-Saadi and anger at Iranian and otherforeign interference in Iraq.58 Some protesters also decried the government’s recent removal of
informal housing settlements.59
As the protests developed, the demands raised developed with them. The initial demands for betterand more accountable governance soon developed into demands for systemic change.60 Thesedemands entailed the resignation of the government and new elections based on a revised electoral
law61, but also ‘complete reform’62 including constitutional changes and an end to Iraq’s post-2003
ethno-sectarian political system known as muhasasa.63 Critics argued that the system, within which
positions and resources are divided based on an ethno-sectarian quota system, enables the politicalelite to enrich themselves and their allies at the expense of the population.64 Sources note that theprotests were explicitly anti-sectarian, and that a popular slogan was ‘we want a homeland.’65
The protesters also responded to events as they progressed, adjusting or raising new demands.
Following Prime Minister Abdel Mahdi’s resignation, protesters in Baghdad issued a statement on
11 December with demands for a new prime minister, including, among other things, a commitment
to ‘substantial reforms’.66 On 13 January, protesters in Nasiriyya, and according to Human Rights
Watch also other provinces, responded to what they perceived as inaction and demanded thegovernment enact reforms within seven days.67 When Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi was named Prime
Minister on 1 February, protesters immediately rejected the move.68 Similarly, when Adnan al-Zurfi
was named Prime Minister on 17 March following Allawi’s inability to form a cabinet, protesters inseveral cities rejected the appointment.69 In June, protesters in several provinces focused theirWhat's behind the protests in Iraq?, 5 October 2019, url; Al-Jazeera, Several killed as Iraq protests escalate, spreadnationwide, 2 October 2019, url
58 Byman, D.l., Is change likely in Iraq?, Brookings, url; Czulda, R., Protests challenge Iran’s future position in Iraq, AC, 2
December 2019, url; DW, What's behind the protests in Iraq?, 5 October 2019, url; Washington Post (The), Hundreds
wounded in Iraq as police fire tear gas, bullets at protesters, 2 October 2019, url
59 Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url; Al-Amal,
and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Report on the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of October 2019, 10 November 2019, url, p. 1
60 Washington Post (The), Iraqi protests broaden; violent crackdown spirals, 6 October 2019, url; Alaaldin, R., Theirresistible resiliency of Iraq’s protesters, Brookings, 31 January 2020, url
61 Time, Over 300 Killed as Hundreds of Thousands Take Part in Iraqi Protests. What's Behind the Violent Demonstrations?,
13 November 2019, url; Reuters, Iraq passes electoral reforms but deadlock remains, 24 December 2019, url; CRS, Iraq:
Protests and the Future of U.S. Partnership, 12 November 2019, url; Haynes, C., Explainer: Iraq’s autumn of discontent, AC,
18 November 2019, url
62 Iraq, Standing Committee on Human Rights – Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫[ تقرير لجنة حقوق االنسان عن التظاهرات ف العراق‬The‫ي‬
Report of the Standing Committee on Human Rights on the Demonstrations in Iraq], 17 November 2019, url, p. 4
63 Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, not sectarian identities, 31 October 2019, url; UNAMI,
Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 2; Alshamary, M. and al-Amin, S., Iraqi protesters demand
constitutional change. Can they make it happen?, Washington Post (The), 7 November 2019, url
64 Dodge, T., Corruption Continues to Destabilize Iraq, Chatham House, 1 October 2019, url; Hasan, H. Iraq Protests: A New
Social Movement Is Challenging Sectarian Power, Carnegie, 4 November 2019, url; Al-Rubaie, A., Despite Political Turmoil
and Coronavirus, Iraq’s Protest Movement Continues, WINEP, 23 March 2020, url; Boot, M., The Deadly Protests Shaking
Iraq: What to Know, CFR, 30 October 2019, url
65 Jiyad, S., Iraq's unsustainable status quo, ECFR, 27 February 2020, url; Alhassani, M., The Evolution of Iraq’s Protests:
Excessive Force Pushes Protesters to Adapt, WINEP, 4 February 2020, url; Salam, D., Will protests herald a new era in Iraqi
politics?, AC, 31 October 2019, url; Iraq, Standing Committee on Human Rights – Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫تقرير لجنة‬‫[ حقوق االنسان عن التظاهرات يف العراق‬The Report of the Standing Committee on Human Rights on the Demonstrations in Iraq],
17 November 2019, url, p. 4
66 UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 21 February 2020, url,para. 767 HRW, Iraq: Authorities Violently Remove Protesters, 31 January 2020, url; EPIC, ISHM: JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 16, 2020,
16 January 2020, url
68 Reuters, Iraqi cleric Sadr tells followers to clear sit-ins after PM appointed, 2 February 2020, url; Al-Jazeera, Mohammed
Allawi appointed new Iraq PM, protesters reject him, 1 February 2020, url
69 EPIC, ISHM: MARCH 12 – MARCH 19, 2020, March 19 2020, url

15

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

demands on the resignation of provincial Governors, as well as justice for those killed in previous
protests.70

2.1.2 Main protests and locations
Sources state that the protests predominantly took place in Baghdad and central and southern Shiamajority provinces.71 More specifically, protests during the first week of October and again on
25 October are reported to have taken place in the provinces of Karbala, Babil, Wasit, Najaf, Qadisiyya,
Muthanna, Dhi Qar, Maysan, and Basra, in addition to Baghdad.72 In Baghdad, protests were centred
in Tahrir and Khilani square, with frequent clashes between protestors and security forces occurringon or near al-Jumhuriyya and other nearby bridges.73 In other provinces, some of the largest protests
as well as most violent clashes between protestors and security forces and/or other armed groups
seem to have taken place in the cities of Nasiriyya, Basra, Karbala, and Najaf.74
The number of protesters taking part seem to have varied throughout the autumn and winter of 2019and 2020, with most sources referring to ‘thousands’75 or in some cases ‘tens of thousands’76 taking
part in the larger demonstrations. UNAMI reports that 3 000 people took part in Baghdad on
1 October77, and that ‘between 29 October and 4 November, the number of protestors in Baghdad
reached an estimated one million.’78 The numbers seem to have decreased in February/March, with
reports referring to ‘hundreds’ taking part.79 On 17 March 2020, the government announced anational curfew in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and protesters reportedly announced a partial
suspension of demonstrations due to the crisis80, although some sources report that sit-ins continued

70 Al-Mada Paper, ‫[ متظاهرون يحارصون مكاتب المحافظي إلجبارهم عىل االستقالة‬Protesters surround the offices of Governors to force

their resignation], 7 June 2020, url; Al-Arabi al-Jadid, ‫ الكشف عن قتلة المتظاهرين وإقالة المحافظي‬:‫ محافظات عراقية‬4‫احتجاجات بـ‬[Protests in four Iraqi provinces: disclosure of the killers of protesters and the resignation of the governors], 7 June 2020,url
71 Hasan, H. Iraq Protests: A New Social Movement Is Challenging Sectarian Power, Carnegie, 4 November 2019, url;
Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, not sectarian identities, 31 October 2019, url; Knights, M., Exposing
and Sanctioning Human Rights Violations by Iraqi Militias, WINEP, 22 October 2019, url; UN Security Council,
Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 22 November 2019, url, para. 2, 11
72 Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url; UNAMI,
Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 2; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December
2019, url, p. 3
73 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 4, 5; Al-Jazeera, Baghdad's commercial hub feels
pinch as Iraq protests continue, 27 November 2019, url; Guardian (The), Protesters burn down Iranian consulate insouthern Iraq, 27 November 2019, url; AI, Iraq: Iranian tear gas grenades among those causing gruesome protester deaths,
31 October 2019, url
74 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 3; Guardian (The), Protesters burn down Iranianconsulate in southern Iraq, 27 November 2019, url; AP, Iraqi protesters attack Iran consulate in Karbala, 3 November 2019,
url; HRW, Iraq: Teargas Cartridges Killing Protesters, 8 November 2019, url; AP, 27 Iraqi protesters shot dead in 24 hours,
violence spirals, 28 November 2019, url; Wing, J., One Of The Deadliest Days Of Protests At Least 25 Killed In Nasiriya,
Musings on Iraq [Blog], 29 November 2019, url
75 Al-Jazeera, Several killed as Iraq protests escalate, spread nationwide, 2 October 2019, url; Al-Sumaria, ‫ساحة التحرير‬‫ صور‬..‫[ تحتضن االف المتظاهرين‬Thousands of demonstrators in Tahrir Square … Pictures], 10 January 2020, url; Al-Mada Paper,‫ محافظات تغلق المدارس والدوائر‬9‫[ المتظاهرون يعودون إىل جرس األحرار و‬Demonstrators return to al-Ahrar bridge and 9 provinces closeschools and offices], 17 November 2019, url
76 Reuters, Iraqi protesters pack Baghdad square, anti-government movement gains momentum, 29 October 2019, url; AP(Associated Press), Iraqi protesters attack Iran consulate in Karbala, 3 November 2019, url
77 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 4
78 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 4
79 Al-Mada Paper, ‫[ ساحات االحتجاج تحض لمفاجأة األحزاب لو تكرر سيناريو تكليف عالوي‬The Protest Sites prepare to surprise theparties if they repeat the scenario of Allawi’s designation], 10 March 2020, url; Sky News Arabia,’ ‫ودعوة لمواجهة‬..‫[ القبعات الزرقاء’تطورات متسارعة بجنوب العراق‬Rapid developments in southern Iraq… Calls to confront the ’Blue
Hats‘], 4 February 2020, url
80 UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 6 May 2020, url, para.
15; Asharq al-Awsat, Coronavirus Brings Abrupt End to Iraq Protest Movement, 22 March 2020, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

in some places, including in Tahrir Square in Baghdad.81 New protests took place in early May andagain in early June, with hundreds of people reportedly taking part.82 In addition to demonstrations
and sit-ins, protesters in some areas blocked roads and bridges to disrupt economic activity, targeting,among other things, the port of Basra and facilities related to oil production.83 It should also be notedthat numerous attacks on public and private properties were reported during the protests, including
on the Iranian consulates in Najaf and Karbala.84

ACLED data on protests and riots in Iraq (not including KRI)The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) collects real-time data on aspects ofpolitical violence globally85, including ‘demonstration events’ such as protests and riots. EASO used
the publicly available ACLED Power BI Report dataset for Iraq (1 January 2019 to 31 July 2020) for
ACLED data on demonstration events such as protests and riots for this report.86 ACLED recorded a
total of 1 558 demonstration events coded as ‘protests’87 in Iraq (not including KRI) through thereference period. Basra was the governorate where most protests took place (329), followed by
Muthanna (226) and Thi-Qar (217). Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, experienced 130 protests.88
In large cities, the figures for protests recorded by ACLED were as follows: Basra city, capital of Basragovernorate, experienced the largest number of protests (199). It was followed by Diwaniyah (capitalof Qadissiyah governorate – 168), and Nassiriyah (capital of Thi-Qar governorate – 167). Baghdad city,
the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad governorate, counted 62 protests in the reference period.89
The table shows the occurrence of protest events by governorate and by district.90

81 New Arab (The), Protesters face live fire after Iraq partially lifts coronavirus lockdown, 22 April 2020, url; Al-Monitor,

Coronavirus curfew fails to clear Iraqi protest squares, 6 April 2020, url
82 Al-Arabi al-Jadid, ‫ الكشف عن قتلة المتظاهرين وإقالة المحافظي‬:‫ محافظات عراقية‬4‫[ احتجاجات بـ‬Protests in four Iraqi provinces:disclosure of the killers of protesters and the resignation of the governors], 7 June 2020, url; National (The), Iraq’s newprime minister orders protesters released as rallies resume, 10 May 2020, url; Wing, J., Protests Return To Iraq Can New
Govt Respond To Their Demands?, Musings on Iraq [Blog], 14 May 2020, url
83 AP, Anti-government protests cripple major Iraqi port, oil field, 18 November 2019, url; Al-Jazeera, Baghdad'scommercial hub feels pinch as Iraq protests continue, 27 November 2019, url; Rudaw, Protesters being killed by 'third
party', not Iraq’s security forces: defense minister, 16 November 2019, url; EPIC, ISHM: JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 30, 2020,
30 January 2020, url
84 UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 22 November 2019,url, para. 2; IHCHR, [Facebook], posted on: 27 October 2019, url; Guardian (The), Protesters burn down Iranian consulate insouthern Iraq, 27 November 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, pp. 2, 4; BBC,Iraq unrest: Protesters attack Iranian consulate in Karbala, 4 November 2019, url
85 ACLED, About ACLED, n.d., url
86 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url
87 ACLED’s codebook defines protests as ‘a public demonstration in which participants do not engage in violence, thoughviolence may be used against them. Events include individuals and groups who peacefully demonstrate against a politicalentity, government institution, policy, group, tradition, business or other private institution.’ For more detailed informationon the definition and sub-events captured within ‘protests’, see: ACLED, ACLED Codebook – 2019, 2019, url, pp. 12-13
88 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url
89 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url
90 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url

17

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Figure 1: ACLED data on protests from 1 January 2019 to 31 July 2020

For data on demonstration events that ACLED coded as ‘riots’ which includes violent
demonstrations91, ACLED recorded that there were 539 such events in Iraq (without KRI) during thereference period, and the three worst affected governorates were: Thi-Qar (150), Baghdad (107),
Basra (74).92
In large cities, the figures for riots recorded by ACLED were as follows: Nassiriyah, capital of Thi-Qar
governorate experienced the largest number of riots (87). It was followed by Baghdad city (capital of
Iraq and of Baghdad governorate - 75), and Basra (capital of Basra governorate – 44).93
The table shows the occurrence of protest events by governorate and by district.94

91 ACLED’s codebook defines ‘riots’ as ‘violent events where demonstrators or mobs engage in disruptive acts, including

but not limited to rock throwing, property destruction, etc. They may target other individuals, property, businesses, otherrioting groups or armed actors’ including sub-events that involve violence, destructive behaviour, mob violence, etc. For
more detailed information on the definition and sub-events captured within ‘riots’, see: ACLED, ACLED Codebook – 2019,2019, url, pp. 13-14
92 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url
93 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url
94 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url

18

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Figure 2: ACLED data on riots for 1 January 2019 to 31 July 2020

2.1.3 Who takes part in the protests?
Sources show that the demonstrations that were part of the protest movement described so far mostof all took place in Baghdad and the Shia-majority provinces of the south.95 While Sunni inhabitants in
Baghdad and other areas that saw protests took part, and while some reportedly travelled from otherparts of the country to join in96, this meant that the protesters predominantly belonged to the Shia
part of the population.97 Sources note, however, that the protesters’ demands were ‘not religiouslyspecific’98, and that the protests were ‘not a Shia revolt’.99 During the first period of protests from 1 –9 October, most sources identify the protesters as ‘young men’, often marginalised and un- or
underemployed, as well as civil society activists.100 There are, however, also reports of women taking
part during this first phase.101

95 Sweden, Lifos, Lägesanalys: Demonstrationarna i Irak – evolution eller revolution? [Situation analysis: The

demonstrations in Iraq – evolution or revolution?], 2 December 2019, url, p. 8; UN Security Council, Implementation ofresolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 22 November 2019, url, para. 11; UNOCHA, Iraq: Humanitarian
Bulletin, October 2019, url, p. 3; Al-Amal, and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Report on the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of
October 2019, 10 November 2019, url, p. 1; Badawi, T., Why Arab Sunnis are disengaged from Iraq’s protests, AC, 7
February 2020, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October
2019, url
96 Badawi, T., Why Arab Sunnis are disengaged from Iraq’s protests, AC, 7 February 2020, url
97 Hasan, H. Iraq Protests: A New Social Movement Is Challenging Sectarian Power, Carnegie, 4 November 2019, url;
Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url
98 Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url
99 Hasan, H. Iraq Protests: A New Social Movement Is Challenging Sectarian Power, Carnegie, 4 November 2019, url
100 Iraq, Standing Committee on Human Rights – Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫[ تقرير لجنة حقوق االنسان عن التظاهرات ف العراق‬The‫ي‬
Report of the Standing Committee on Human Rights on the Demonstrations in Iraq], 17 November 2019, url; UNAMI,
Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 2; UNOCHA, Iraq: Humanitarian Bulletin, October 2019,url, p. 3; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url
101 Al-Jazeera, ‫ نساء عىل خط المواجهة‬..‫[ مظاهرات العراق‬The protests in Iraq.. Women at the line of confrontation], 5 October
2019, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Many sources report that the composition of the protesters changed when the second round of
demonstrations began on 25 October. From that point, ‘demonstrators from demographically diverse
groups’102 took part, as more women, older people, school children, students, and professionals joined
in.103 In several places, teachers, students and other professional groups declared open-ended strikes
in support of the protests.104 The UN stated that women played an unprecedented part within theprotest movement.105 Former members of the PMF reportedly also took part in demonstrations.106
Sources report that most of the protesters did not belong to any particular political party or group,that they were not led by any religious or political leader, that they did not subscribe to any particular
view or ideology, and that they did not have any unified or formal leadership.107 At the same time,
however, sources report that supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr took part in the protests from 25 October
until late January, following al-Sadr’s call for them to do so.108 Thus, it appears that some newspapers
and other sources make a distinction between ‘protesters’, with no given political affiliation, andsupporters of al-Sadr, all taking part in the same protests. Information on the relative sizes of the twogroups could not be found.

2.1.4 How are the protests organised?
Sources are somewhat conflicted as to how the protests began. Whereas some refer to the initialdemonstrations as ‘spontaneous’109, other sources note that calls for protests on 1 October began
circulating in September 2019.110 Still, numerous sources report that no particular party ororganisation initiated the demonstrations, and that they were spontaneous in the sense that people
took part due to anger over particular issues as well as at the violent response with which the initialprotests were met.111

102 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 2
103 UNOCHA, Iraq: Humanitarian Bulletin, October 2019, url, p. 3; New York Times (The), ‘All of Them Are Thieves’: Iraqis

Defy Security Forces to Protest Corruption, 25 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November
2019, url, p. 2
104 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 2; Wing, J., Iraq Protests Get Huge Boost As
Students And Professional Groups Join In, Musings on Iraq [Blog], 29 October 2019, url; Reuters, Iraqi protesters pack
Baghdad square, anti-government movement gains momentum, 29 October 2019, url
105 UNAMI, For Iraq – The United Nations in Iraq 2019, 31 March 2020, url, p. 8; UNAMI, Briefing to the Security Council by
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert 3 March 2020 (as delivered), 3 March 2020, url
106 New York Times (The), ‘All of Them Are Thieves’: Iraqis Defy Security Forces to Protest Corruption, 25 October 2019, url
107 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 3; UNOCHA, Iraq: Humanitarian Bulletin,
October 2019, url, p. 3; Iraq, Standing Committee on Human Rights – Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫تقرير لجنة حقوق االنسان عن‬‫[ التظاهرات يف العراق‬The Report of the Standing Committee on Human Rights on the Demonstrations in Iraq], 17 November
2019, url; p. 4; Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, not sectarian identities, 31 October 2019, url; Salam,D., Will protests herald a new era in Iraqi politics?, AC, 31 October 2019, url; Al-Jazeera, ‫ أسباب التصعيد وسبيل‬..‫مظاهرات العراق‬‫[ الحل‬The protests in Iraq.. The reasons behind the expansion and the path to a solution], 10 October 2019, url
108 VOA, Firebrand Cleric Green-Lights Fresh Protests in Iraq, 20 October 2019, url; New Arab (The), 'We want dignity': Two
killed as massive anti-government protests rock Iraq, 25 October 2019, url; Slim, R., Iraq: Sadr withdraws support forprotests in a political power play, MEI, 27 January 2020, url
109 Ali, Z. and Khalaf, S., In Iraq, demonstrators demand change — and the government fights back, 9 October 2019, url;
Salam, D., Will protests herald a new era in Iraqi politics?, AC, 31 October 2019, url; Washington Post (The), Iraqi protests
broaden; violent crackdown spirals, 6 October 2019, url; Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, notsectarian identities, 31 October 2019, url
110 Sweden, Lifos, Lägesanalys: Demonstrationarna i Irak – evolution eller revolution? [Situation analysis: The
demonstrations in Iraq – evolution or revolution?], 2 December 2019, url, p. 7; Al-Amal, and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Reporton the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of October 2019, 10 November 2019, url, p. 1
111 Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, not sectarian identities, 31 October 2019, url; UNOCHA, Iraq:
Humanitarian Bulletin, October 2019, url, p. 3; Al-Jazeera, ‫ أسباب التصعيد وسبيل الحل‬..‫[ مظاهرات العراق‬The protests in Iraq. The
reasons behind the expansion and the path to a solution], 10 October 2019, url; BBC, Iraq protests: Shots fired asdemonstrators defy Baghdad curfew, 3 October 2019, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Mobilisation for the protests, both earlier calls for demonstrations as well as mobilisation in response
to particular issues, reportedly took place online112, with one source pointing to Facebook as aparticularly important platform.113 Iraqi authorities, however, blocked internet access on 2 Octoberfor more than 24 hours, and again for varying periods of time as the protests progressed.114 In
addition, the authorities blocked access to social media from 2 October until 21 November.115 Whilesocial media could be accessed using VPNs when internet was available, this could suggest that otherchannels of communication were important as well. For instance, the Iraqi High Commission for
Human Rights reportedly resorted to using SMS when internet was unavailable.116 Few details areavailable concerning those calling for and mobilising for protests online (and possibly elsewhere), butthey are described as civil society activists117, citizens118, or social media influencers.119
Some services were organised and provided for those taking part in protests. For instance, tents were
set up at the sit-in in Tahrir Square in Baghdad providing food, legal advice, and other services.120
Sources refer to this being done by ‘volunteers’ or simply ‘protesters’121, and it is unclear how these
efforts were funded. Similarly, health care volunteers reportedly provided medical aid for protesters
at the square122, while Tuk-Tuk vehicles functioned as make-shift ambulances.123
Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, however, seem to have been organised through his movement. Whilesome reportedly initially joined the protests spontaneously124, they followed his orders when such
were given.125 For instance, when al-Sadr gave the order to end roadblocks126, his followers attacked
their former co-protesters.127 While taking part in demonstrations, his movement reportedly provided
logistical support for the protests.128

2.1.5 Political initiatives in response to the protests
Several sources report that the demonstrations on 1 October took the government by surprise129,
although UNAMI notes that the government was aware of the protests in advance and deployed large

112 UNOCHA, Iraq: Humanitarian Bulletin, October 2019, url, p. 3; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22

October 2019, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October
2019, url
113 International Crisis Group, Widespread Protests Point to Iraq’s Cycle of Social Crisis, 10 October 2019, url
114 Netblocks, Iraq blocks Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram, then shuts down internet amid civil unrest, 2
October 2019, url; Netblocks, Iraq shuts down internet again as protests intensify, 4 November 2019, url; Knights, M.,
Exposing and Sanctioning Human Rights Violations by Iraqi Militias, WINEP, 22 October 2019, url
115 Netblocks, Social media partially unblocked in Iraq after 50 days, 21 November 2019, url
116 Yahoo News, In Iraq protests, counting the dead is a dangerous job, 31 October 2019, url
117 Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url;
UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 2;
118 Al-Amal, and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Report on the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of October 2019, 10 November
2019, url, p. 1
119 International Crisis Group, Widespread Protests Point to Iraq’s Cycle of Social Crisis, 10 October 2019, url
120 France24, Iraq protesters set up free public services in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, 3 November 2019, url
121 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 2; France24, Iraq protesters set up free public
services in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, 3 November 2019, url
122 Al-Jazeera, Despite threats, Iraq's medical volunteers keep protests alive, 23 November 2019, url
123 MSF, Tuk-tuks, the ambulances of the nation, 14 January 2020, url
124 Washington Post (The), How powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr could snuff out Iraq’s mass street protests, 4 March 2020,
url
125 Reuters, Iraqi security forces raid protest camps after Sadr supporters withdraw, 25 January, url; Washington Post (The),
How powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr could snuff out Iraq’s mass street protests, 4 March 2020, url
126 Mu_AlSadr, [Twitter], posted on: 2 February 2020, url
127 Reuters, Iraqi cleric Sadr tells followers to clear sit-ins after PM appointed, 2 February 2020, url
128 Jiyad, S., Iraq's unsustainable status quo, ECFR, 27 February 2020, url
129 Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, not sectarian identities, 31 October 2019, url; Reuters, Iraqi police
fire on protesters in new unrest, death toll passes 100, 6 October 2019, url; CNN, Iraqi protesters say they have videos ofgovernment atrocities. An internet blackout is stopping the world from seeing them, 9 October 2019, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

numbers of security forces.130 While the authorities responded to the protest using extensive violence,
as detailed below, the government also launched a number of initiatives meant to comply with theprotesters’ demands. On 2 October, the PM, the President, and the Speaker of Parliament promised
an investigation into violence and killings.131 This promise was repeated by the PM several times.132
On 4 October, the PM promised the release of peaceful protesters, and announced a number ofmeasures promising to tackle corruption and provide jobs and opportunities.133 The government
followed up with new measures announced on 6 and 9 October that included the designation of thosekilled in the protests as martyrs134, which in turn might entitle their families to compensation.135
On 8 October, Parliament formed a committee tasked with supervising the implementation of theprotesters’ demands.136 On 28 October, Parliament voted to dissolve the provincial councils andtransfer their powers to the governors, and to form a committee tasked with reviewing and suggestingchanges to the constitution by the end of February.137 This committee, however, had yet to publish
any decisions as of 1 July 2020.138 It is unclear whether other measures concerning jobs andopportunities have been implemented.
Prime Minister Mahdi announced his resignation on 29 November, and this was approved by
Parliament on 1 December.139 Mustafa al-Kadhimi was approved by parliament as Prime Minister at
the head of a new government on 7 May.140 Al-Kadhimi promised to amend the electoral law and holdearly elections, to investigate violence, killings and kidnappings and release all protesters except those
involved in violent crimes, to compensate the families of martyrs, to fight against corruption, and to
improve the economy and opportunities for young people.141 On 9 May, al-Saadi was reinstated andpromoted to head of the CTS142, and on 10 May, the judiciary ordered the release of protesters in linewith the PM’s promise.143 On 6 June, the PM announced the formation of a committee to review thegovernors and the lack of proper services in the provinces.144
Several political and religious forces expressed support for the protests. On 2 October, Muqtada alSadr called for peaceful protests145, later encouraging his own supporters to take part from130 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 3
131 UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 22 November 2019,url, para. 3
132 Iraq, IraqiGovt, [Twitter], posted on: 4 October 2019, url; UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470
(2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 22 November 2019, url, para. 4, 8
133 Iraq, IraqiGovt, [Twitter], posted on: 4 October 2019, url;
134 Reuters, Iraqi PM announces cabinet reshuffle after week of bloody protests, 9 October 2019, url; Iraq, IraqiPMO,[Twitter], posted on: 6 October 2019, url
135 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 9; Iraq, IraqiPMO, [Twitter], posted on: 6
October 2019, url‫ ر‬8 /‫) الثالثاء‬8( ‫[ قرارات وتوصيات الجلسة‬Decisions and recommendations from136 Iraqi Parliament Council, 2019 /‫ترسين االول‬
session 8, Tuesday 8 October 2019], 8 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October
2019, url, p. 9
‫ ر‬28 /‫) االثني‬10( ‫[ قرارات وتوصيات الجلسة‬Decisions and recommendations from137 Iraqi Parliament Council, 2019 /‫ترسين االول‬
session 10, Tuesday 28 October 2019], 28 October 2019, url
138 Iraqi Parliament Council, ‫[ لجنة التعديالت الدستورية‬The Committee for constitutional review], undated, url
139 Washington Post (The), Iraqi prime minister says he will submit resignation to head off further bloodshed, 29 November
2019, url; UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 21 February
2020, url, para. 4
140 Iraq, Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫ وزيرا‬15‫[ مجلس النواب يمنح الثقة لحكومة رئيس مجلس الوزراء الكاظم و‬The Parliament confers its‫ي‬trust to the government of prime minister al-Kadhimi and 15 ministers], 7 May 2020, url; France24, Iraq parliament
approves PM Kadhimi's new cabinet after months of deadlock, 7 May 2019, url
141 Iraq, IraqiGovt, [Twitter], posted on: 10 May 2020, url; Iraq, ‫[ مجلس النواب يقر برنامج الحكومة العراقية الجديدة‬The Parliament
approves the program of the new Iraqi government], 7 May 2020, url
142 France24, Iraq's new govt reaches out to October protesters, 9 May 2020, url
143 Al-Jazeera, New Iraq PM releases protesters; promotes respected general, 10 May 2020, url
144 Iraq, IraqiPMO, [Twitter], posted on: 6 June 2020, url
145 Al-Jazeera, Several killed as Iraq protests escalate, spread nationwide, 2 October 2019, url

22

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

25 October.146 Al-Sadr withdrew his support on 24 January.147 According to the UN security council,‘the leaders of political parties and blocs’ condemned violence towards protesters on 4 October.148
Importantly, on numerous occasions Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani expressed support for peacefulprotests and the demands raised, expressed his disapproval of the government the day PM Mahdi
announced his resignation, and condemned the violence and demanded true and impartial
investigations into it.149

2.2 Other protests and protests in the KRI
On 12 and 13 January 2020, people gathered outside the Kurdistan Parliament building in Erbil toprotest the passing of a new pension reform bill, which was seen as perpetuating disparities.150 On
27 January, security forces wounded two persons taking part in a protest east of Sulaimaniyya
demanding better basic services.151 On 16 May, 167 persons, including 8 journalists, were arrested in
Duhok, as teachers attempted to protest in response to unpaid wages.152 On 15 June, health carepersonnel went on strike to protest unpaid wages in Sulaimaniyya153, and on 21 June, protesters
briefly blocked roads in the city, again protesting unpaid wages and demanding better job
opportunities.154 In late May and early June, several protests, including in Erbil and Sulaimaniyya, took
place in response to lockdowns imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In response to the protests,
authorities eased some of the newly imposed restrictions on 2 June.155 On 6 July, new protests against
unpaid wages took place in Sulaimaniyya.156
One source reported that ‘symbolic acts of protest’ took place in Ninewa, Anbar and Salah al-Din
provinces, to commemorate those killed in the protests in Baghdad and the central and southern
provinces.157 In general, however, sources indicate that the protest movement did not reach theSunni-majority areas158, although on 14 January, a protest took place in Mosul in support for the

146 Bobseine, H., Iraqis plan to continue protests Friday. Here’s what might happen, Washington Post (The), 24 October

2019, url
147 Reuters, Iraqi security forces raid protest camps after Sadr supporters withdraw, 25 January, url
148 UN Security Council, Implementation of resolution 2470 (2019) - Report of the Secretary-General, 22 November 2019,url, para. 3
149 New Arab (The), Listen to protesters 'before it's too late,' Shia cleric Sistani tells Iraq government, 4 October 2019, url;Wing, J., Najaf and Tehran Pick Sides In Protests, Musings on Iraq [Blog], 2 November 2019, url; Al-Safi, A.,
2019/ 11/ 29 ‫ الموافق‬،‫ـه‬1441/‫ ربيع اآلخر‬/2 ‫الصاف يف‬‫[ الخطبة الثانية لصالة الجمعة بإمامة السيد أحمد‬The second sermon of the Friday‫ي‬prayer given by al-Sayyid [honorific religious title] Ahmad al-Safi 29 November 2019], url; Al-Karbalai, A., ‫الخطبة الثانية لصالة‬2019/ 12/ 6 ‫ الموافق‬،‫ـه‬1441/‫ربيع اآلخر‬/9 ‫الكربالئ يف‬‫[ الجمعة بإمامة الشيخ عبد المهدي‬The second sermon of the Friday prayer given‫ي‬by al-Sheykh [honorific religious title] Abdel Mahdi al-Karbalai 6 December 2019], url; Al-Karbalai, A., ‫الخطبة الثانية لصالة‬‫م‬2019 /10 /11 ‫ـه الموافق‬1441‫صفر‬12 ‫الكربالئ يف‬‫[ الجمعة بإمامة الشيخ عبد المهدي‬The second sermon of the Friday prayer given by‫ي‬
al-Sheykh [honorific religious title] Abdel Mahdi al-Karbalai 11 October 2019], url
150 EPIC, ISHM: JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 16, 2020, 16 January 2020, url
151 EPIC, ISHM: JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 30, 2020, 30 January 2020, url
152 EPIC, ISHM: MAY 14 – MAY 21, 2020, 21 May 2020, url; CPJ, Security forces in Iraqi Kurdistan detain 8 journalists in
Duhok covering protest; charge 4, 18 May 2020, url; AI, Urgent actions: Police arrest teacher and protest organizer, 26 May
2020, url
153 EPIC, ISHM: JUNE 11 – JUNE 18, 2020, 18 June 2020, url
154 NRT, Protesters briefly block major road in Sulaimani to demand KRG pay salaries, create job opportunities, 21 June
2020, url
155 NRT, New generation movement leader Abdulwahid joins protests in Sulaimani, reaffirms support for their demands, 2June 2020, url; NRT, All shops, businesses to reopen in Sulaimani and Erbil after KRG backtracks on curfew, 2 June 2020, url
156 Nas News, ‫[ مشاهد جديدة من اقتحام المتظاهرين مبن برلمان كردستان ف السليمانية‬New scenes of protesters storming a building of‫ي‬the KRI parliament in Sulaimaniyya], 6 July 2020, url
157 Badawi, T., Why Arab Sunnis are disengaged from Iraq’s protests, AC, 7 February 2020, url
158 Badawi, T., Why Arab Sunnis are disengaged from Iraq’s protests, AC, 7 February 2020, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth
protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url

23

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

protest-movement’s demands for a new government.159 On 6 February, protests took place in the
Ninewa plains, demanding that PMF forces withdraw from the area.160
In the middle of July, and again on 26 and 27 July, protesters took to the streets demanding more
electricity161, amid soaring temperatures reaching almost 52 degrees Celsius in Baghdad.162 Protests
took place in Baghdad, Najaf, Babil, Dhi Qar, Karbala, Wasit, Basra, and Qadisiyya163, with sourcesreferring to ‘dozens,’ or in one case ‘hundreds,’ taking part.164
A graph of main protests and locations in Iraq (not including KRI) and more data and information canbe found in Section 2.1.2

ACLED data on protests and riots in KRI governorates
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) collects real-time data on aspects ofpolitical violence globally165, including ‘demonstration events’ such as protests and riots. EASO used
the publicly available ACLED Power BI Report dataset for Iraq (1 January 2019 to 31 July 2020) for
ACLED data on demonstration events such as protests and riots for this report.166 For data on protests,
ACLED recorded a total of 539 demonstration events that it coded as ‘protests’167 in KRI through thereference period.168
In the KRI, protests events counted by ACLED totalled 178 mostly in Sulaymaniyah and Erbil:•••

Sulaymaniyah governorate counted 114, of which 64 were in the capital, Sulaymaniyah city;
Erbil governorate counted 56, of which 48 were in Erbil city;
Dohuk governorate counted 8, out of which 2 took place in Dohuk city, the capital, and 2 took
place in Zahko district.169

159 Al-Sumaria, ‫[ بالفيديو اهاىل الموصل يطالبون باالرساع ف تشكيل حكومة‬On video the people of Mosul demand swiftness in efforts to‫ي‬‫ي‬form new government], 14 January 2020, url
160 Bas News, ‫[ تظاهرة لنازح وسكان سهل نينوى للمطالبة بإخراج ميليشيات الحشد من مناطقهم‬Protest for displaced and inhabitants of‫ي‬
Ninewa demanding that the militias of the PMF leave their area], 6 February 2020, urlً
161 EPIC, ISHM: JULY 9 – JULY 16, 2020, 16 July 2020, url; Al-Mada Paper, ‫احتجاجا عىل انقطاع الكهرباء‬‫تظاهرات فـي وسط العراق وجنوبه‬[Protests in central and south Iraq against blackouts], 26 July 2020, url; Reuters, Two protesters die after clashes with
police in Baghdad, medics and security sources say, 27 July 2020, url
162 AFP, Temperature soars to record-breaking 125 in ancient desert city, 28 July 2020, urlً
163 EPIC, ISHM: JULY 9 – JULY 16, 2020, 16 July 2020, url; Al-Mada Paper, ‫احتجاجا عىل انقطاع الكهرباء‬‫تظاهرات فـي وسط العراق وجنوبه‬[Protests in central and south Iraq against blackouts], 26 July 2020, url; Reuters, Two protesters die after clashes with
police in Baghdad, medics and security sources say, 27 July 2020, url; Al-Mada Paper, ‫متظاهرو ذي قار يعلنون تضامنهم مع متظاهري‬‫[ ساحة التحرير ويتهمون األحزاب الفاسدة بالدفع باتجاه الفوض‬The protestors of Dhi Qar declare their solidarity with the protestors ofTahrir square and accuse the corrupt parties of pushing towards chaos], 27 July 2020, url
164 Al-Sumaria, ‫ تظاهرات ف كربالء‬..‫[ بسبب الكهرباء‬Because of electricity… protests in Karbala], 27 July 2020, url; Al-Mada Paper,‫ي‬‫[ متظاهرو ذي قار يعلنون تضامنهم مع متظاهري ساحة التحرير ويتهمون األحزاب الفاسدة بالدفع باتجاه الفوض‬The protestors of Dhi Qar declaretheir solidarity with the protestors of Tahrir square and accuse the corrupt parties of pushing towards chaos], 27 July 2020,
url
165 ACLED, About ACLED, n.d., url
166 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url
167 ACLED’s codebook defines protests as ‘a public demonstration in which participants do not engage in violence, thoughviolence may be used against them. Events include individuals and groups who peacefully demonstrate against a politicalentity, government institution, policy, group, tradition, business or other private institution.’ For more detailed informationon the definition and sub-events captured within ‘protests’, see: ACLED, ACLED Codebook – 2019, 2019, url, pp. 12-13
168 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url
169 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url

24

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Figure 3: ACLED data on protests in KRI for 1 January 2019 to 31 July 2020

For data on demonstration events that ACLED coded as ‘riots’ which includes violent
demonstrations170, ACLED recorded 8 such events in the KRI.171

170 ACLED’s codebook defines ‘riots’ as ‘violent events where demonstrators or mobs engage in disruptive acts, including

but not limited to rock throwing, property destruction, etc. They may target other individuals, property, businesses, otherrioting groups or armed actors’ including sub-events that involve violence, destructive behaviour, mob violence, etc. For
more detailed information on the definition and sub-events captured within ‘riots’, see: ACLED, ACLED Codebook – 2019,2019, url, pp. 13-14
171 EASO analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East (1 August 2020), url

25

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Figure 4: ACLED data on riots in KRI for 1 January 2019 to 31 July 202026

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

3. Treatment of protesters
3.1 Responses to the protest movement in Baghdad and thesouthern provinces
3.1.1 Freedom of assembly and the right to protest
Freedom of expression as well as of assembly and peaceful protest is enshrined in Article 38 of the
Iraqi constitution.172 UNAMI further states that the ‘international and domestic legal framework
applicable in Iraq guarantees’ the right to peaceful assembly and expression, as well as the right tolife, liberty, and security.173 A draft law on freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful protest that
had been criticised by rights groups was reintroduced in parliament in 2019174, but no reference ismade to it in the sources covering the protests surveyed.
Sources report that in most of the cases where arrested protesters were charged, this was done withreference to Article 355 of the Iraqi Penal code, as well as Articles 222, 226, 230, 240, 342 and 345.175
Among other things, these concern insulting public authorities, endangering public security,contravening an order given by a public official, and causing damage to public and private property.176
While the High Judicial Council on 25 October 2019 stated that acts of violence and damage to public
property could be prosecuted under anti-terrorism laws, UNAMI reported in December 2019 that thishad not been done and that the statement was overturned.177 Numerous sources stated that Iraqi
authorities are obligated to respect the right to life, and that security forces can only use force
proportionally as required by a given situation.178

3.1.2 Responses during protests
The protests were met with violence on the part of both security forces and other forces more difficult
to identify, causing a high number of casualties. Sources refer to quite similar figures concerning thenumber of people killed: approximately 150 killed between 1 and 9 October 2019179; approximately
100 killed between 25 October and 4 November180, and approximately 170 killed between
5 November and 8 December.181 Some sources refer to further approximately 175 killed after

172 Iraq, Iraq’s Constitution of 2005, undated, url, p. 15
173 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 2
174 MENA Rights Group, Iraq must halt reintroduction of controversial draft laws harmful to fundamental freedoms, 15 July

2019, url
175 HRW (Human Rights Watch), Iraq: Lethal Force Used Against Protesters, 10 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations
in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, pp. 5-6
176 Iraq, Penal Code Law No (111) of 1969, July 1969 (Amended 14 March 2010), url
177 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 6; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11
December 2019, url, p. 5
178 AI, Iraq: Rein in security forces to prevent a bloodbath, 9. November 2019, url; HRW, Iraq: Protesters Killed by Teargas
Canisters, 27 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 4
179 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 2; UNOCHA, Iraq: Humanitarian Bulletin,
October 2019, url, p. 3; Reuters, Iraqi security forces killed 149 protesters, most by shots to head, chest: government
inquiry, 22 October 2019, url
180 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 2; Washington Post (The), An uprising in Iraq is thebroadest in decades. It’s posing an alarming threat to Baghdad and Tehran, 7 November 2019, url; Wing, J., New
Confrontations Between Protesters And Iraqi Security Forces, Musings on Iraq [Blog], 5 November 2019, url
181 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 2; Euro-Med, Iraqi Protests: An Audacity to Kill
and Absent Justice - A report documenting violations against peaceful protesters in Iraq, 22 December 2019, url, pp. 19-21

27

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

10 December, reaching 600 protesters killed in total.182 IHCHR refers to 528 protesters killed in total
by 20 February.183 UNAMI refers to 490 protesters killed, but stresses that this does not include all,and that the real number is higher.184 Figures on the number of injured varies more, with sourcesreferring to between 9 000 and 25 000 in total.185 The limited protests that have taken place since
March 2020 appear to have faced less violence, with reports suggesting less than ten people killed
and tens of people injured.186
The official government report into the killing of protesters from 1 to 9 October states that 70 % of
those killed died due to shots to the head or chest.187 Similarly, OHCHR and UNAMI states that mostdeaths occurred due to the use of live ammunition.188 Moreover, several sources state that more than
10 people were killed by military grade teargas cannisters fired directly at the head and upper bodyof protesters.189 UNAMI also noted that 19 persons were killed after being trapped within buildings
set on fire.190 Several sources stated that government forces of various kinds, including different police
forces, army forces, and intelligence officers, were involved in the violent response to the protests.191
This was confirmed in the official inquiry.192 Sources noted that on numerous occasions security forcesused live ammunition to attack protesters and disperse sit-ins and roadblocks. For instance, security
forces are reported to have shot and killed 15 people in Baghdad on 6 October193, 18 people in Karbala
on 28 October194, and more than 20 people in Nasiriyya on 28 November.195

182 AI, Iraq: Protest death toll surges as security forces resume brutal repression, 23 January, url; NPR, Iraq's Protests Shook

The Government. Now The Movement Is Nearly Crushed, 21 February 2020, url; USDOS, On Attacks Against Protesters in
Iraq, Press Statement Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State, 6 February 2020, url
183 Rudaw, Iraq protester death toll climbs to 528: IHCHR, 20 February 2020, url
184 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 2
185 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 2; USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 2; Rudaw, Iraq protester death toll climbs to 528: IHCHR, 20 February 2020, url;
UNAMI, Amid ongoing protests and violence, UN urges stepped up efforts to break political deadlock, 30 January 2020, url
186 IHCHR, [Facebook], Posted on: 10 March 2020, url; National (The), Iraq police raid office of pro-Iran militia accused ofshooting protesters, 11 May 2020, url; Nas News, )‫[ مسلحون مجهولون يقتحمون ساحة التحرير وسط بغداد (فيديو‬Unknown gunmen
storm Tahrir square in the heart of Baghdad (video)], url; Shafaaq News, ‫حكوم‬‫ح خالل اشعال النار بمبن‬‫إصابة متظاهرين برصاص ي‬‫ي‬‫[ يف النجف‬Protesters injured by live bullets while setting fire to a government building in Najaf], url; Reuters, Two protesters
die after clashes with police in Baghdad, medics and security sources say, 27 July 2020, url‫[ واع ر‬INA publishes the final report on the investigation of what
187 INA, ‫تنرس التقرير النهائ للجنة التحقيق بأحداث التظاهرات‬‫ي‬
happened during the demonstrations], url; Reuters, Iraqi security forces killed 149 protesters, most by shots to head,chest: government inquiry, 22 October 2019, url
188 UN OHCHR, Press briefing note on Iraq, 8 November 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11
December 2019, url, p. 3
189 HRW, Iraq: Teargas Cartridges Killing Protesters, 8 November 2019, url; AI, Iraq: Iranian tear gas grenades among thosecausing gruesome protester deaths, 31 October 2019, url; AI, Iraq: Rein in security forces to prevent a bloodbath, 9.
November 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 4; Washington Post (The), Fear
spreads among Iraqi protesters as government cracks down, keeps death toll secret, 11 November 2019, url
190 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 4
191 UNAMI provides more details on the agencies involved in their first report on the protests: UNAMI, Demonstrations in
Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 2; HRW, Iraq: New Protester Deaths Despite Order Not to Fire, 4 December
2019, url; AI, Iraq: Rein in security forces to prevent a bloodbath, 9. November 2019, url
192 Reuters, Iraqi security forces killed 149 protesters, most by shots to head, chest: government inquiry, 22 October 2019,url
193 HRW, Iraq: Lethal Force Used Against Protesters, 10 October 2019, url; Washington Post (The), Iraqi military admits to‘excessive force’ in crackdown against protesters, 7 October 2019, url
194 BBC, Iraq protests: Upsurge in violence despite Baghdad curfew, 30 October 2019, url; Reuters, Iraqi protesters pack
Baghdad square, anti-government movement gains momentum, 29 October 2019, url‫[ مفوضية حقوق االنسان ر‬IHCHR register an increase in the
195 IHCHR, ‫تؤرس ارتفاع معدالت العنف ف تظاهرات بغداد وعدد من المحافظات‬‫ي‬level of violence in the protests in Baghdad and several provinces], 4 December 2019, url; AP, Iraqi prime minister to resignin wake of deadly protests, 29 November 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url,
pp. 3, 728

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

The sources stated that other forces were involved as well, although it is not always clear what kindof forces these are. Sources frequently refer to ‘militias’ being involved196, and several sources statethat forces that are part of the PMF are responsible for many of the lethal attacks, including employing
snipers against protesters.197 Several sources refer to ‘Iran-backed militias’198, while some sources,
including the US government, identify Asa’ib ahl al-Haqq199 as being responsible for the killing ofprotesters.200 Sources also indicate that such forces at times seemed to act in coordination withsecurity forces, for instance in an attack on Tahrir square in December 2019 which left tens ofprotesters dead.201
It should also be noted that several members of security forces appear to have been killed andhundreds injured through the course of the protests: The official investigation released by thegovernment on 22 October 2019 states that 8 members of security forces have been killed and 1 287
injured.202 As of 9 December 2019, UNAMI reports that 424 people have been killed and 8 758 injured,and that these figures include ‘members of the Iraqi security forces’.203 UNAMI also notes that thesefigures are incomplete.204 UNAMI further reports that demonstrators killed a leader in a PMF-affiliatedgroup and his brother in al-Amara on 25 October.205 Moreover, on 12 December, protesters
reportedly killed a 15-year-old boy in Baghdad.206

3.1.3 Arrests, kidnappings, and forced disappearances
Large numbers of people have been arrested throughout the protests. UNAMI, referring to the IHCHR,
reports ‘1 055 demonstration-linked arrests’ between 1 and 9 October.207 Within a week, all but 21 ofthese were reportedly released.208 On 9 December, UNAMI reports of ‘thousands’ of demonstrators
arrested since 1 October, typically without a warrant, and confirm that ‘most demonstrators havebeen released and those remaining in detention have been charged pursuant to the Iraqi Criminal
Code.’209 By 18 December 2019, 2 700 people had been released from detention, according to judicial

196 UN OHCHR, Press briefing note on Iraq, 8 November 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11

December 2019, url
197 New York Times (The), Iraq Will Prosecute Military and Police Leaders Over Protest Shootings, 22 October 2019, url;
HRW, Iraq: Lethal Force Used Against Protesters, 10 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11
December 2019, url; USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 2
198 Knights, M., Exposing and Sanctioning Human Rights Violations by Iraqi Militias, WINEP, 22 October 2019, url; Mansour,
R. et al, These Iraqi militias are attacking protesters and getting away with it. Here’s why, Washington Post (The), 18
November 2019, url
199 Asa’ib ahl al-Haqq, The League of the Righteous, is a powerful Iran-aligned Shia militia that plays a highly influential partin the PMF, which also has been deployed in Syria, and which has been accused of numerous attacks (including killings andkidnappings) on civillians: EASO, EASO Country of Origin Information Report - Iraq Targeting of Individuals, March 2019, url,
pp. 187, 190; Knights, M. et. al., Honored not contained. The Future of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, WINEP, March
2020, url
200 USDOT, Treasury Sanctions Iran-Backed Militia Leaders Who Killed Innocent Demonstrators in Iraq, 6 December 2019,
url; HRW, Iraq: Lethal Force Used Against Protesters, 10 October 2019, url
201 HRW, Iraq: State Appears Complicit in Massacre of Protesters, 16 December 2019, url; USDOS, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 4; AI, Iraq: Testimonies emerge of coordinated attacks which killed atleast 20 protesters, 7 December 2019, url
202 New York Times (The), Iraq Will Prosecute Military and Police Leaders Over Protest Shootings, 22 October 2019, url;‫[ واع ر‬INA publishes the final report on the investigation of what happened
INA, ‫النهائ للجنة التحقيق بأحداث التظاهرات‬‫تنرس التقرير‬‫ي‬
during the demonstrations], url
203 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 2
204 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 2
205 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 3; Smyth, P. Iran Is Losing Iraq’s Tribes, WINEP, 4
December 2019, url
206 Washington Post (The), Iraq’s Sistani condemns protesters’ lynching of teenage boy in Baghdad, 13 December 2019, url
207 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 63
208 HRW, Iraq: Government Promises Action On Security Force Abuse, 24 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq
1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 6
209 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 5

29

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

sources quoted by USDOS.210 By mid-February 2020, 2 800 people had been arrested, of which all but
38 had been released, according to IHCHR.211 As noted above, PM al-Kadhimi promised on 10 May torelease peaceful protesters, indicating that some were still held in detention.212
Sources report that tens of people were kidnapped in connection with the protests. On
28 December 2019, IHCHR stated that 68 people had been kidnapped or disappeared213, and on
21 May 2020, one of its members stated that 75 persons had been kidnapped since 1 October, of
which 25 had been released.214 On 23 May 2020, UNAMI stated that it had confirmed 99 cases of
missing protesters involving 123 people, of which 25 remained missing.215 Several sources state thatthe kidnappings appear to target known activists, people who take part in and/or play a significant
role in the protests, and people who are critical of the authorities and armed groups on social media.216
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also reported that journalists have been kidnapped.217
UNAMI reported that groups described as ‘militias’ were referred to as responsible for the
kidnappings.218 Several sources stated that forces belonging to the PMF were responsible for cases ofkidnappings219, with one indicating that, with reference to a specific case, Kata’ib Hizballah220 was oneof the units involved.221 UNAMI noted that ‘the involvement of “ordinary” criminal gangs is also
unlikely, as no requests for ransom or other criminal motives were reported.’222

3.1.4 Detention and ill treatment
Referring to the general situation of detention, sources state that ill treatment and torture take placein Iraqi prisons and detention facilities. Human Rights Watch reports that the group ‘received reportsof widespread use of torture, including of children, by Iraqi and KRG forces to extract confessions’throughout 2019.223 Similarly, USDOS reports that torture and ill treatment take place in governmentrun facilities in KRI and the rest of Iraq, with Sunni-Arab detainees being particularly exposed.224
USDOS further reports of ‘harsh’ and ‘life-threatening’ detention conditions, but notes that thesituation is generally better in KRI.225
UNAMI reported that protesters arrested and detained by security forces appear to have been
subjected to beatings and ill treatment, and that they were not allowed to contact their families or
the outside world.226 Reuters refers to ‘two Iraqi security officials’ who claim that beatings and210 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 6
211 Rudaw, Iraq protester death toll climbs to 528: IHCHR, 20 February 2020, url
212 Iraq, IraqiGovt, [Twitter], posted on: 10 May 2020, url; Iraq, ‫[ مجلس النواب يقر برنامج الحكومة العراقية الجديدة‬The Parliament

approves the program of the new Iraqi government], 7 May 2020, url
213 IHCHR, [Telegram], posted on: 28 December 2019, url
214 EPIC, ISHM: MAY 14 – MAY 21, 2020, 21 May 2020, url
215 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 2
216 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 3; AI, Iraq: End ‘campaign of terror’ targeting
protesters, 13 December 2019, url; USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 26
217 CPJ, One journalist killed, another missing amid protests in Iraq, 9 December 2019, url
218 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 6; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3 rd update,
23 May 2020, url, p. 4; Wing, J., Iraqi Forces Kidnapping Protesters In Intimidation Campaign, Musings on Iraq [Blog], 20
November 2019, url; Euro-Med, Iraqi Protests: An Audacity to Kill and Absent Justice - A report documenting violations
against peaceful protesters in Iraq, 22 December 2019, url, p. 8
219 Knights, M., Exposing and Sanctioning Human Rights Violations by Iraqi Militias, WINEP, 22 October 2019, url; AI, Iraq:
Stop security forces from threatening, forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url
220 Kata’ib Hizballah is an Iran-aligned Shia militia that is part of and has a dominant position within the PMF: Knights, M.
et. al., Honored not contained. The Future of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, WINEP, March 2020, url
221 Wing, J., Iraqi Forces Kidnapping Protesters As Part Of Intimidation Campaign, Musings on Iraq [Blog], 9 December 2019,url
222 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 5
223 HRW, World Report 2020 – Iraq, 2020, url
224 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, pp. 6-7
225 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, pp. 8-11
226 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, pp. 2, 5, 630

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

electrocution of those detained is ‘not uncommon,’ and that detainees are forced to sign a pledge not
to take part in further protests before being released.227 Other sources also report of such forced
pledges as well as beatings.228
Moreover, sources report of ill treatment and torture including severe beatings and electrocution ofprotesters who have been kidnapped.229 This is reported to often take place during ‘interrogations,’
in which the kidnappers seek information on their participation in protests and their politicalaffiliation, and force them to sign pledges not to partake in further protests.230 One source also reportsthat interrogators sought information about other protesters.231 It is not always clear who is
responsible for these kidnappings and interrogations, but UNAMI notes that none of the survivors
they interviewed ‘believed ”official” Iraqi Security Forces to be directly responsible for theirabduction’.232 Sources pointed to ‘militias’233, as well as forces that are part of the PMF or Iran-aligned
forces234, as the responsible parties.

3.1.5 Targeting of individuals
Sources report that well-known activists, organisers and people who play central roles in the protests,
people who are critical of the authorities or forces belonging to the PMF, as well as journalists, havebeen targeted and subjected to threats, intimidation, kidnappings, arrests, ill treatment, andassassinations and killings.235 Some sources refer to systematic and organised efforts, or even an
organised ‘campaign’ intended to deter people from taking part in and/or organising protests andvoicing criticism.236 Sources also refer to medical personnel being targeted during and after
demonstrations.237 Sources refer to numerous examples of targeted attacks, such as the killing of awell-known activist couple on 2 October in Basra238; a medical volunteer receiving a threatening letter

227 Reuters, Threats, arrests, targeted killings silence Iraqi dissidents, 29 November 2019, url
228 Euro-Med, Iraqi Protests: An Audacity to Kill and Absent Justice - A report documenting violations against peacefulprotesters in Iraq, 22 December 2019, url, p. 13; AI, Iraq: Stop security forces from threatening, forcibly disappearing andabusing activists, 18 October 2019, url; USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 6;
Al-Amal, and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Report on the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of October 2019, 10 November 2019,url, p. 4
229 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 4; Euro-Med, Iraqi Protests: An Audacity to Kill and
Absent Justice - A report documenting violations against peaceful protesters in Iraq, 22 December 2019, url, p. 13
230 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p 4; AI, Iraq: Stop security forces from threatening,
forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url
231 Reuters, Threats, arrests, targeted killings silence Iraqi dissidents, 29 November 2019, url
232 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, pp. 4-5
233 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 4; Euro-Med, Iraqi Protests: An Audacity to Kill and
Absent Justice - A report documenting violations against peaceful protesters in Iraq, 22 December 2019, url, p. 8
234 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 6; AI, Iraq: Stop security forces fromthreatening, forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url; Al-Rubaie, A., Despite Political Turmoil andCoronavirus, Iraq’s Protest Movement Continues, WINEP, 23 March 2020, url
235 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 8; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5November 2019, url, p. 6; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 6; UNAMI,
Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 3; USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11March 2020, url, p. 26; UN OHCHR, Press briefing on Iraq, 20 December 2019, url; EPIC, ISHM: JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 30,
2020, 30 January 2020, url
236 AI, Iraq: Stop security forces from threatening, forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url; AI, Iraq:
End ‘campaign of terror’ targeting protesters, 13 December 2019, url; Al-Rubaie, A., Despite Political Turmoil andCoronavirus, Iraq’s Protest Movement Continues, WINEP, 23 March 2020, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update,
23 May 2020, url, p. 5
237 HRW, Iraq: Security Forces Attack Medics Treating Protesters, 14 November 2019, url; AI, Iraq: Rein in security forces toprevent a bloodbath, 9. November 2019, url
238 Washington Post (The), Iraq is under curfew and Internet blackout as government tries to curb protests, 3 October
2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 831

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

at her house239; the assassination of the director of a TV network with ties to the opposition240; and adrive-by shooting targeting a well-known activist in Basra on 17 July 2020.241 While no figures were
found concerning the total number of activists that have been killed, Reuters quotes sources statingthat at least six activists had been killed over the past year as of late November 2019.242 The OHCHR
refers to three activists being killed between 8 and 14 December 2019.243
Sources report that the attacks and kidnappings seem to have been pre-planned and well organised.
Some sources refer to reports that people believed to be intelligence officers as well as unknown men
showed up at protests and took photographs of people taking part.244 Sources further refer to rumoursof a government-compiled ‘blacklist’ of wanted protesters.245 UNAMI reports ‘most abductees
described those questioning them as knowing significant amounts of information about theiridentities and demonstration-linked activities.’246 Sources indicate that kidnappings happened in asimilar manner, with people being abducted near or on their way to protest sites, close to their homes,
or during regular and fixed commutes, often by masked and/or armed men forcing them into
vehicles.247 While sources stated that it often is unclear who the perpetrators are, they point to both
Iraqi security forces and armed groups including forces that are part of the PMF as responsible fortargeting individuals.248

3.1.6 Media and access to information
Sources report of at least five journalists having been killed in connection to protests, and that several
have been wounded, arrested, threatened, harassed, kidnapped and in other ways prevented fromdoing their work.249 Both governmental agencies and security forces as well as forces that are part of
the PMF were responsible.250 On 5 October 2019, armed forces raided several television stations, stole
equipment and mistreated employees.251 The US State Department identify the forces involved as

239 Al-Jazeera, Despite threats, Iraq's medical volunteers keep protests alive, 23 November 2019, url
240 CPJ, Al-Rasheed TV CEO Nizar Thanoun shot and killed in Baghdad, 12 February 2020, url
241 NINA, ‫[ اصابة ناشط مدئ بنيان مسلحي وسط البضة‬Civil society activist shot and injured by gunmen in central Basra], 17 July‫ي‬
2020, url
242 Reuters, Threats, arrests, targeted killings silence Iraqi dissidents, 29 November 2019, url
243 UN OHCHR, Press briefing on Iraq, 20 December 2019, url
244 Washington Post (The), Fear spreads among Iraqi protesters as government cracks down, keeps death toll secret, 11November 2019, url; Al-Jazeera, Despite threats, Iraq's medical volunteers keep protests alive, 23 November 2019, url
245 AI, Iraq: Stop security forces from threatening, forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url; HRW,
Iraq: Government Promises Action On Security Force Abuse, 24 October 2019, url
246 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 4
247 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 4; Euro-Med, Iraqi Protests: An Audacity to Kill and
Absent Justice - A report documenting violations against peaceful protesters in Iraq, 22 December 2019, url, pp. 8-9; AI,
Iraq: Stop security forces from threatening, forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url
248 HRW, Iraq: Abductions Linked to Baghdad Protests, 2 December 2019, url; AI, Iraq: Stop security forces fromthreatening, forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url; AI, Iraq: End ‘campaign of terror’ targeting
protesters, 13 December 2019, url; USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 6; UN
OHCHR, Press briefing on Iraq, 20 December 2019, url
249 CPJ, Hisham Fares al-Adhami killed, 4 October 2019, url; UNAMI, Amid ongoing protests and violence, UN urges steppedup efforts to break political deadlock, 30 January 2020, url; CPJ, One journalist killed, another missing amid protests in Iraq,
9 December 2019, url; CPJ, Al-Rasheed TV CEO Nizar Thanoun shot and killed in Baghdad, 12 February 2020, url; UNAMI,
Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 7
250 UNAMI, Amid ongoing protests and violence, UN urges stepped up efforts to break political deadlock, 30 January 2020,
url; CPJ, One journalist killed, another missing amid protests in Iraq, 9 December 2019, url; UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq
1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 7
251 CPJ, Unidentified assailants raid 4 broadcasters in Baghdad, assault staffers, 7 October 2019, url; UNAMI,
Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 7; USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices –Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 27

32

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Saraya talia al-khurasani252 and Harakat hizballah al-nujaba253, and identify Asa’ib ahl al-haqq as
responsible for an attack on a TV station the following day254 All are part of the PMF.255 On 24 October,
authorities reportedly prohibited live coverage from Tahrir Square.256 On 12 November, Iraqi
authorities ordered eight TV stations, four of which were targeted on 5 October, as well as four radio
stations, to shut down, and asked five other stations to alter their coverage.257 Security forces raided
the offices of one of those TV stations on 26 November.258 On 28 January 2020, security forces raided
the offices of Dijla TV, one of the stations closed in November.259
As mentioned above, Iraqi authorities cut internet access on several occasions, and sought to block
access to social media for more than 50 days, making it difficult for protesters and others to share andaccess information.260

3.2 Responses to other protests and protests in the KRI
Sources report that authorities restricted the opportunity to hold protests in Sunni-majority areas.261
According to Human Rights Watch, people were arrested not only for calling for protests, but also formerely expressing support on social media for protests taking place elsewhere.262
In KRI, authorities seemingly both sought to prevent protests from taking place and broke up
demonstrations taking place, as noted above. On 16 May 2020, authorities pre-emptively arrested alarge number of activists and journalists.263 USDOS states that ‘central government and KRG forces
arrested and detained protesters and activists critical of the central government and of the KRG,
respectively, according to statements by government officials, NGO representatives, and press
reports.’264

252 Saraya talia al-Khurasani is an Iran-aligned Shia militia that is part of the PMF, which also has been deployed in Syria:

Knights, M. et. al., Honored not contained. The Future of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, WINEP, March 2020, url, p. 205
253 Harakat hizballah al-Nujaba is an Iran-aligned Shia miltia that is part of the PMF, and which also has been deployed in
Syria: Knights, M. et. al., Honored not contained. The Future of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, WINEP, March 2020, url,
p. 204; EASO, EASO Country of Origin Information Report - Iraq Targeting of Individuals, March 2019, url, pp. 195-196
254 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 27
255 Knights, M. et. al., Honored not contained. The Future of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, WINEP, March 2020, url, pp.
204-209
256 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 6
257 CPJ, Iraq media regulator orders closure of 12 broadcast news outlets, 25 November 2019, url; Al-Monitor, Iraq clamps
down on media and broadcast networks covering protests, 28 November 2019, url
258 AP, 27 Iraqi protesters shot dead in 24 hours, violence spirals, 28 November 2019, url
259 EPIC, ISHM: JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 30, 2020, 30 January 2020, url
260 Netblocks, Iraq blocks Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram, then shuts down internet amid civil unrest, 2
October 2019, url; Netblocks, Iraq shuts down internet again as protests intensify, 4 November 2019, url; Netblocks, Social
media partially unblocked in Iraq after 50 days, 21 November 2019, url
261 Badawi, T., Why Arab Sunnis are disengaged from Iraq’s protests, AC, 7 February 2020, url; HRW, Iraq: Arrests for
Voicing Protest Solidarity, 4 November 2019, url
262 HRW, Iraq: Arrests for Voicing Protest Solidarity, 4 November 2019, url
263 EPIC, ISHM: MAY 14 – MAY 21, 2020, 21 May 2020, url; CPJ, Security forces in Iraqi Kurdistan detain 8 journalists in
Duhok covering protest; charge 4, 18 May 2020, url; AI, Urgent actions: Police arrest teacher and protest organizer, 26 May
2020, url
264 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 26

33

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

4. Accountability and access to redress
measures
4.1 Investigations into the excessive use of force
UNAMI stated that the Iraqi government has a responsibility to not only allow peaceful protest, but
to take ‘adequate preventive measures’ to protect demonstrators from attacks perpetrated by, forinstance, armed groups.265 The state is further required to investigate and prosecute unlawful
actions.266
On 12 October 2019, the government announced the formation of an investigative committee tasked
with identifying perpetrators of violence and bring them to justice267, and the report of the committee
was made public on 22 October 2019.268 The report acknowledged excessive use of force on part of
security forces269, and identified ‘a dozen’ senior military and police commanders to faceprosecution.270 Human Rights Watch criticised the report, however, for not addressing serious abuses
and the role of the PMF.271 Similarly, Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani criticised the report and demanded an
independent investigation.272 Sources also state that many protesters viewed the report as
inadequate, or were frustrated with the impunity for the deaths and injuries caused by the excessive
use of force, which in turn contributed to the new protests of 25 October.273
Moreover, sources report that Iraqi authorities at times were unwilling to admit responsibility or share
information: On 16 November, the defence minister stated that ‘third parties’ rather than security
forces were responsible for killing protesters.274 In its report on the protests, the standing committee
on human rights in the Iraqi parliament noted that relevant ministries and security agencies did notcooperate fully with the committee.275 Sources also report that Iraqi authorities forced hospitals andmorgues to withhold figures concerning the number of killed and injured during protests.276 Similarly,
USDOS reported that the IHCHR at one point ‘briefly discontinued publishing the number of protestrelated deaths’ due to pressure from the PM’s office.277 USDOS further noted that ‘efforts to achieve

265 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, pp. 2, 14
266 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 14
267 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 9; Iraq, IraqiGovt, [Twitter], posted on: 13

October 2019, url
268 Reuters, Iraqi security forces killed 149 protesters, most by shots to head, chest: government inquiry, 22 October 2019,
url; New York Times (The), Iraq Will Prosecute Military and Police Leaders Over Protest Shootings, 22 October 2019, url;‫[ واع ر‬INA publishes the final report on the investigation of what happened
INA, ‫النهائ للجنة التحقيق بأحداث التظاهرات‬‫تنرس التقرير‬‫ي‬
during the demonstrations], url
269 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq 1- 9 October 2019, 22 October 2019, url, p. 9; Reuters, Iraqi security forces killed 149
protesters, most by shots to head, chest: government inquiry, 22 October 2019, url
270 New York Times (The), Iraq Will Prosecute Military and Police Leaders Over Protest Shootings, 22 October 2019, url
271 HRW, Iraq: Government Promises Action On Security Force Abuse, 24 October 2019, url
272 Al-Karbalai, A., ‫م‬2019/ 10/ 25 ‫ الموافق‬،‫ ـه‬1441 /‫ صفر‬/26 ‫[ الخطبة الثانية لصالة الجمعة بإمامة الشيخ عبد المهدي الكربالئ ف‬The‫ي ي‬
second sermon of the Friday prayer given by al-Sheykh [honorific religious title] Abdel Mahdi al-Karbalai 25 October 2019],
url
273 Al-Amal, and Al-Namaa, Preliminary Report on the Violation Against the Iraq Protest of October 2019, 10 November
2019, url, p. 1; UNOCHA, Iraq: Humanitarian Bulletin, October 2019, url, p. 3
274 Rudaw, Protesters being killed by 'third party', not Iraq’s security forces: defense minister, 16 November 2019, url
275 Iraq, Standing Committee on Human Rights – Iraqi Parliamentary Council, ‫تقرير لجنة حقوق االنسان عن التظاهرات ف العراق‬‫ي‬[The Report of the Standing Committee on Human Rights on the Demonstrations in Iraq], 17 November 2019, url, p. 4
276 Washington Post (The), Fear spreads among Iraqi protesters as government cracks down, keeps death toll secret, 11November 2019, url; AFP, In Iraq protests, counting the dead is a dangerous job, 31 October 2019, url
277 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 46

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

accountability were limited.’278 On 10 May 2020, PM al-Kadhimi announced the formation of a newinvestigative committee, promising justice and to ‘hold accountable those involved in killing Iraqis’.279
On 27 July 2020, following the death of two protestors in Baghdad280, PM al-Kadhimi promised a swift
investigation, the results of which should be presented to him within 72 hours.281

4.2 Accountability initiatives and implementation in practice
Sources report of some instances in which members of security forces have been removed from theirpositions, or have been arrested, charged, or sentenced, or in which arrest orders have been issued,on the basis of violence perpetrated against protesters: On 1 December 2019, the criminal court in
Wasit sentenced one police officer to death and another to seven years in prison for ‘involvement in
the killing of protesters’.282 On the same day, an arrest warrant and a travel ban was reportedly issued
for the recently dismissed head of the crisis cell of the security forces in Dhi Qar.283 On 4 December,
Human Rights Watch stated that they were not aware of any other security officers who have beenprosecuted.284 On 17 December, USDOS noted that ‘one general and several officers were underinvestigation.’285 On 9 June 2020, authorities in Dhi Qar reportedly stated that arrest warrants had
been issued for 17 officers and officials involved in violence against protesters, including a former
chief of police.286 On 30 July, the Minister of Interior announced that three members of the security
forces had been arrested in connection with the killing of two protesters in Baghdad, in line with PM
al-Kadhimi’s promise referred to above.287 It is unclear which steps, if any, have been taken withregards to those named in the official inquiry of 22 October.
Little information is found concerning actions taken against other armed forces involved in violenceagainst protesters. On 11 May 2020, Prime Minister al-Kadhimi announced that security forces had
detained ‘those behind assaulting protesters in Basra’.288 This refers to members of an Iran-backed
militia, Thar Allah, which killed one protester on 10 May.289 On 11 June, Iraqi authorities announced
that one person had been arrested for, among other things, ‘stabbing and killing peacefulprotesters’.290
Information suggests that security forces made changes in their behaviour during the protests: On
4 November, UNAMI notes that ‘particularly in Baghdad, security forces displayed more restraint andorganisation in their general policing of demonstrations from 25 October to 4 November.’291 On
9 December, however, UNAMI noted that ‘in contrast to the period from 25 October to 4 November,deaths and injuries from so-called less-lethal weapons substantially decreased on Jumhuriyah bridge,
with reports of two deaths attributed to severe impact trauma from tear gas canisters.’292

278 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 2
279 Iraq, IraqiGovt, [Twitter], posted on: 10 May 2020, url
280 Reuters, Two protesters die after clashes with police in Baghdad, medics and security sources say, 27 July 2020, url
281 Iraq, PMO (Prime Minister’s Office), ‫[ نص كلمة رئيس مجلس الوزراء السيد مصطف الكاظم‬The text of the speech of the Prime‫ي‬
Minister Mr. Mustafa al-Kadhimi], 27 July 2020, url
282 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 5; HRW, Iraq: New Protester Deaths Despite
Order Not to Fire, 4 December 2019, url; HRW, Iraq: State Appears Complicit in Massacre of Protesters, 16 December 2019,url
283 HRW, Iraq: New Protester Deaths Despite Order Not to Fire, 4 December 2019, url
284 HRW, Iraq: New Protester Deaths Despite Order Not to Fire, 4 December 2019, url
285 USDOS, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – Iraq, 11 March 2020, url, p. 2
286 EPIC, ISHM: JUNE 4 – JUNE 11, 2020, 11 June 2020, url
287 Washington Post (The), Iraq’s prime minister announces early elections, which will be held next year, 1 August 2020, url;Iraq, IraqiGovt, [Twitter], posted on: 30 July 2020, url; MAKadhimi, [Twitter] posted on: 30 July 2020, url
288 MAKadhimi, [Twitter], posted on: 11 May 2020, url
289 National (The), Iraq police raid office of pro-Iran militia accused of shooting protesters, 11 May 2020, url
290 National (The), Iraq makes arrest over attacks on anti-government protesters, 11 June 2020, url
291 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: update, 5 November 2019, url, p. 6
292 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 4

35

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

4.3 Access to redress measures
4.3.1 Access to effective redress measures
Very little information has been found concerning access to effective redress measures. On 23 May,
UNAMI noted that ‘while the Government has made some efforts to locate those reported missing(…), UNAMI is not aware of any official investigations conducted by law enforcement authorities tolocate the missing or to identify and prosecute those responsible.’293 Similarly, Human Rights Watch
reports of several cases in which family members reported people missing to the police without
receiving any help.294 Amnesty International and UNAMI report of cases where family members or a
victim have reported kidnappings to the police, which in turn lead to the family being threatened andthe victim being kidnapped by the same group again, respectively.295 On 17 May, PM al-Kadhimi
reportedly instructed ‘the Ministry of Interior to “use all available resources” to uncover the fate of
kidnapped and forcibly disappeared Iraqis’.296
On 13 October, Human Rights Watch referred to a news report according to which the governmenthas begun to pay compensations to those injured and the families of those killed.297 On 30 July 2020,
The Washington Post reported that each family of a killed protestor would receive approximately$ 8 400 in compensation.298

4.3.2 Relocation and the ability to avoid being targeted
Several sources refer to activists and protesters who relocated to other parts of Iraq or went into
hiding to avoid being targeted.299 In at least one case, activists who had fled the country were targeted
upon their return: an activist couple who had been in self-imposed exile in Turkey and who changed
their address upon returning to Iraq and ceased participation in protests, were later shot dead in theirhome by unidentified gunmen believed by activists to work for an Iran-backed militia.300 Furthermore,
Human Rights Watch refers to one case in which the brother of a man who had fled his home city wasapprehended and interrogated by an unknown armed group when they were unable to locate theman they originally sought.301

293 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update, 23 May 2020, url, p. 5
294 HRW, Iraq: Government Promises Action On Security Force Abuse, 24 October 2019, url
295 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 6; AI, Iraq: Stop security forces fromthreatening, forcibly disappearing and abusing activists, 18 October 2019, url
296 EPIC, ISHM: MAY 14 – MAY 21, 2020, 21 May 2020, url
297 HRW, Iraq: Government Promises Action On Security Force Abuse, 24 October 2019, url
298 Washington Post (The), Iraq’s prime minister announces early elections, which will be held next year, 1 August 2020, url
299 UNAMI, Demonstrations in Iraq – 2nd update, 11 December 2019, url, p. 6; HRW, Iraq: Government Promises Action On
Security Force Abuse, 24 October 2019, url; Bobseine, H., Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s
next, MEI, 14 October 2019, url
300 Reuters, Threats, arrests, targeted killings silence Iraqi dissidents, 29 November 2019, url
301 HRW, Iraq: Government Promises Action On Security Force Abuse, 24 October 2019, url

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Annex 1: Bibliography
Public sources
Abdulhadi, R., Iraqi protestors unite behind demands, not sectarian identities, AC (Atlantic Council),
31 October 2019, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/iraqi-protestors-unite-behinddemands-not-sectarian-identities/, accessed 2 July 2020
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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

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Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

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July 202054

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

Annex 2: Terms of Reference
The protest movements and the treatment of protesters/activists in Iraq
The reference period is January 2019 to 31 July 2020.
The report should aim to cover the protest movements and the treatment of protesters in general, as
well as those more actively involved in the organisation of protests. It should cover all of Iraq, including
the KRI where appropriate. Including, aiming to cover the following research topics:❑ Background / context-

Political background and reasons for protest development-

Main protests that have occurred in the period and main locations/hotspots-

Who is taking part in protests (those more actively involved in the organisation of protests)?

-

How are the protests organised and by whom (e.g. individuals, groups, NGOs, certain sectors?)-

Political response: initiatives and implementation in practice❑ Treatment of protesters
This section should address how the government/other relevant actors have responded to theprotests, and mention relevant legislation concerning protests (freedom of assembly, relevant
provisions of the criminal law).
It should also address the treatment of participants in protests/demonstrations during and after
events:-Response during protests (e.g. violence, arrests, killings) and who is targeted-

Treatment at later stage because of participation/organisation of protests (e.g. surveillance,arrest, ill treatment/discrimination, disappearances, killings)-

Who is targeted?

-

Detention conditions, prosecution, convictions and implementation of punishment forprotesters or organisers of protests

Finally, it should address the possibilities for protesters to avoid ill treatment, and to seek redress:

55-

Access to effective redress measures, including whether protesters or activists harmed due toprotests/political activities lodge police or judicial complaints; effectiveness of lodging acomplaint-

Whether a person can relocate to another area to avoid/escape targeting

Country of Origin Information Report | Iraq: The protest movement and treatment of protesters and activists

doi: 10.2847/886730

56