Six years on, Tishreen protesters remembered in Karbala

KARBALA — Residents of Tuwairij city in Karbala held a memorial event marking six years since the start of Iraq’s Tishreen protest movement, featuring poetry readings, a theater performance, and tributes to slain activists including Riham Yaqoub and Ehab Al-Wazni.

The protests, which began in October 2019, erupted in response to widespread economic hardship, poor public services, and government corruption. The movement, which lasted until May 2021, was Iraq’s largest wave of demonstrations since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Portraits of activists killed during the protests were displayed on stage as poets recited verses dedicated to their memory. Samira Al-Wazni, mother of the late activist Ehab Al-Wazni, told 964media that families have yet to see justice.

“We haven’t seen any result for these sacrifices,” she said. “Ehab went out to protest—why was he killed? His goal was to hold the corrupt accountable and bring them to justice. Yet his killer is still free, and officials continue to stall and evade responsibility.”

The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights estimates that more than 600 people were killed during the protests, surpassing official figures. Of the 624 victims identified by the group, nearly half died in Baghdad. The observatory warned that continued impunity for those responsible could increase the risk of renewed unrest.

Artist Abbas Shihab presented a theatrical performance titled Abd and the Square, which he said honored the movement’s martyrs. “Theater plays a significant role in keeping the peaceful revolution alive. We will continue our theatrical contributions,” he said.

In Basra, dozens of activists held a similar commemoration last month at Bahriya Square, calling for justice, reforms, and an end to corruption.

Poet Aqeel Al-Ard, who traveled from Samawah, said the Karbala gathering symbolized Iraqis’ persistence against injustice. “I came to Tuwairij to support the voice that rejects the killers and corruption,” he said.

Event organizer Zain Al-Abidin said the commemoration brought together participants from several governorates, including Najaf, Baghdad, Samawah, and Dhi Qar. “We honor our fallen heroes. Tishreen youth remain, and our primary demand is to hold the killers of protesters accountable,” he said.