The Iraqi authorities have escalated violence against protesters this week, Human Rights Watch said on Friday, in an effort to quell protests against the existing political situation.
The organization clarified in a report issued on Friday that on January 25 and 27 this year, the Iraqi authorities used violence to quell the protests that plagued Baghdad and the south of the country.
She added that the security forces set fire to the protesters' tents, fired live ammunition, and arrested protesters in Baghdad, Basra, and Nasiriyah.
According to the report, the burning of protesters' tents in city squares appears to be a measure by the Iraqi authorities to evacuate peaceful demonstrators from public places, according to the report.
She explained that the Baghdad authorities should meet the protesters' demands by tackling pervasive corruption and improving their access to basic services and jobs instead of using the unjustified use of force.
Medics said in the report that the authorities began on January 25 the evacuation of the sit-in squares a day after the supporters of prominent cleric Moqtada al-Sadr left, as the authorities launched what appeared to be a coordinated campaign to end protesters ’control of the central squares in Baghdad, Basra, and Nasiriyah.
According to paramedics, whose names were not released by the report, armed men in military uniforms and cars usually used by the security forces arrived in the arenas, attacking, beating, arresting and burning their tents.
Human Rights Watch's report documented the burning of 130 tent tents for protesters, arrest campaigns and live bullets at protesters on 26 and 28 this month.
Human Rights Watch called on the Iraqi authorities to investigate every death that occurred at the hands of the security forces, with the assistance of international experts if necessary, and to prosecute anyone found to be involved in the use of force, even commanders.
On Thursday, the United Nations Mission in Iraq, UNAMI, announced the death of 467 demonstrators since the start of the anti-government protests and the ruling political elite in early October.