Riot police use force against medical graduates demanding jobs in Baghdad​

BAGHDAD — Riot police used force against medical graduates demanding employment during a protest outside the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad, as shown in videos and images obtained by 964 Network.

A security source told 964media that more than 14 protesters sustained injuries, primarily from electric batons.

The footage reveals security forces striking protesters with electric batons, resulting in visible injuries. In one instance, security personnel were seen attempting to seize a media crew’s camera.

The protest was staged by medical professionals demanding the fulfillment of over 30,000 job positions promised in the 2024 budget. This pledge was part of a larger commitment to allocate 60,000 public sector appointments, but only 29,000 positions have been filled.

The shortfall has left more than 30,000 graduates, including dentists, pharmacists, technicians, and laboratory analysts, unemployed—fields the Ministry of Health currently regards as unnecessary.

The Ministry of Interior issued a statement Monday, acknowledging the injuries sustained by several security officers. “A demonstration took place in front of the Ministry of Finance, and when some protesters began blocking the ministry’s entrances and roads, the security forces acted in accordance with legal procedures to prevent them from doing so,” the ministry said. It said that security forces were deployed to ‘ensure the safety’ of the protesters after the situation escalated, resulting in injuries among the security personnel.