Protesters in Iraqi Kurdistan defy rally ban
Kurdish demonstrators gathered in Souleymanieh to denounce corruption (illustrative image).
SHWAN MOHAMMED / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In Iraqi Kurdistan, many residents of the large Kurdish city of Souleymanieh responded to the call to demonstrate.
It has been two weeks since the movement has taken to the streets to denounce the corruption of the authorities of the autonomous region.
These authorities are held responsible for the misery in which the people live.
This Friday, the repression was again very violent.
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The peshmerga have been deployed for several days in the governorate of Sulaymaniyah.
These Kurdish soldiers are normally dedicated to defending their people against an external enemy.
Today, political opponents and well-known demonstrators have been banned from entering major cities, especially at the Souleymanieh checkpoint.
Despite everything, the crowd was at the rendezvous in the heart of the city as well as in Kalar further south or in other city centers in this region of northeastern Iraq.
Historic organizers of the protests are calling for a return to peaceful movement after many political offices have been set on fire in recent days.
Many of them were arrested today, even before the start of the demonstration, as were opposition politicians and several journalists who came to cover the demonstrations.
► To read also: In Iraqi Kurdistan, the protest movement turns into chaos
In the very controlled capital of Iraqi Kurdistan Erbil, the power has been cut, a way, it seems, to slow down the internet and access to information in order to prevent anger from invading the western area of Iraqi Kurdistan .
On social networks, in fact, many videos show the violence of the repression of this Friday with in some places shooting with live bullet.
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