Dozens of protesters, joined by families of victims from the Tishreen movement, gathered on September 9 in al-Habboubi Square in Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar province, to call for justice for demonstrators killed during the protests, photo: 964media
'If you want to kill a cause, form a committee'
Amnesty International: Five years after Tishreen protests, justice remains elusive for victims
NEWSROOM — Five years after the 2019 Tishreen (October) protests in Iraq, justice remains elusive for the victims of the government’s violent crackdown on demonstrators. Successive administrations have failed to deliver accountability for the killings, disappearances, and injuries of protesters, Amnesty International said in a new report.
The Tishreen movement, which began in October 2019 and continued until May 2021, arose in response to widespread economic hardship, corruption, high unemployment, poor public services, and government inefficiency. It became the largest mass protest in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003 and was notable for its independence from established political factions.
In the report titled “We Hold Them Responsible for the Blood of Our Youth,” Amnesty International outlines a pattern of “broken promises” by Iraqi authorities. The report highlights the lack of justice in the face of significant human rights violations, including the use of lethal force by security forces, counterterrorism units, and Popular Mobilization Units. These violations occurred during and after the protests, with impunity reigning despite government pledges for reform.
According to the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, more than 600 people were killed during the protests, a figure that exceeds official government estimates. Of the 624 identified victims, nearly half were killed in Baghdad. The observatory warned that the lack of accountability for those responsible could lead to further violence in the future.
Amnesty’s findings reveal that out of 2,700 criminal investigations launched in response to the protests, only 10 arrest warrants were issued, and just seven convictions were secured. The organization points to political interference in the judiciary, lack of transparency, and intimidation of victims and witnesses as key factors obstructing justice.
On Sept. 9, dozens of protesters, along with families of victims from the Tishreen Movement, demonstrated in Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar, demanding justice for those killed during the 2019 protests. They also called for the retrial of Commander Omar Nizar, whose conviction related to the Al-Zaytoun Bridge massacre was quashed by Iraq’s top appeals court due to insufficient evidence.
One of the most violent incidents of the Tishreen protests, it resulted in the deaths of 20 protesters and left 190 others injured, eventually leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi.
“The five-year anniversary is a stark reminder of the ongoing entrenched impunity coupled with the Iraqi authorities,” said Aya Majzoub, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. She called on Iraqi authorities to conduct independent investigations, protect witnesses, and establish a national database for disappeared persons. Amnesty also urged the international community to investigate these crimes under “the principle of universal jurisdiction.”
Additionally, families of victims have faced intimidation and reprisals for seeking justice. Some relatives of disappeared activists, such as Sajjad al-Iraqi, have been threatened, while in other cases, they have been killed for publicly naming suspects.
Sajjad al-Iraqi was abducted on Sept. 20, 2020, while traveling with his friends in Dhi Qar province. In November 2020, arrest warrants were issued for two suspects, Idris Kreidi and Ahmed Mohammed Abd, in connection with Sajjad’s kidnapping. Both were sentenced to death in absentia in March 2023, but neither has been apprehended.
Sajjad’s family started a sit-in protest on Sept. 19 outside the Dhi Qar governorate building, demanding answers about his fate. His brother, Abbas Kamel, told 964media, “After prolonged delays and stalling by the Iraqi government, we have no choice but to start an open sit-in in front of the Dhi Qar governorate building to draw attention to my brother’s case.”
The report further reveals that amid these challenges, the Iraqi government has introduced proposed legislation restricting freedom of expression and assembly. If passed, the legislation could further shrink civic space and silence dissent. The proposed “Law on Freedom of Expression and Peaceful Assembly” went to its second reading on May 9, 2023. Civil society groups fear these measures, including the proposed law, are intended to prevent a resurgence of mass protests like those in 2019, rather than addressing the core issues of corruption and economic stagnation that brought protesters to the streets.
Despite the establishment of several committees to investigate abuses, their findings remain secret, and justice for victims remains out of reach. As one protester remarked, “If you want to kill a cause, form a committee.”
Amnesty International’s report is based on interviews with survivors, witnesses, and civil society actors, as well as court documents, media reports, and social media posts related to the protests.