One dead and dozens wounded as demonstrations spread in Iraq

Demonstrations in Iraq expanded for the second day to include, besides the capital Baghdad, several cities, including Baquba (east), Kirkuk (north), Babylon, Karbala, Diwaniyah, Muthanna, Basra, and Dhi Qar (south); And dozens injured today.

The widening of the demonstrations comes despite the heavy mobilization of the security forces, the partial cutting of the Internet service and the closure of some public roads.

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Baghdad said that dozens of demonstrators blocked the road to Baghdad International Airport west of the Iraqi capital.

Sources have reported to the island renewed demonstrations in al-Senak Square, near Tahrir Square in central Baghdad.

Local sources said one demonstrator was killed and 17 wounded in the demonstration in the city of Nasiriyah, the center of the province of Dhi Qar in southern Iraq.

In Baquba, the center of Diyala province, east of Baghdad, local sources said that hundreds of demonstrators chanting slogans condemning corruption and calling for reform of institutions.

In the province of Kirkuk, sources from the province said that dozens of demonstrators near the provincial office in the north of the country.

According to local Iraqi sources that security forces in the province of Muthanna (south) arrested about 20 demonstrators after angry protests in front of the parties' headquarters.

For its part, said the High Commission for Human Rights in Iraq that dozens of demonstrators were arrested and later released after taking pledges from them, which is contrary to human rights and freedom of expression.

The OHCHR added that the demonstrations were peaceful and that their demands were legitimate and that OHCHR had monitored negative treatment by the security forces, through the use of excessive violence and disrespect for human rights principles.

The Commission called on the Iraqi parliament to hold an emergency meeting to hold the security authorities responsible for the management of this file.

For his part, the Iraqi National Security Council, headed by Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Adel Abdul Mahdi, stressed the freedom to demonstrate and expression and the legitimate demands of the demonstrators.

At the same time, the Council expressed its condemnation for the acts of sabotage that accompanied these demonstrations, stressing that appropriate measures have been taken to protect citizens and public and private property.

Demonstrators are demanding the provision of services, improving the living conditions, providing jobs for the unemployed, and eliminating the phenomena of unemployment and financial and administrative corruption in government departments and institutions.

Situations
Iraqi President Barham Saleh called on Tuesday evening to meet the demonstrators' demands for reform and job creation.

Saleh said in a tweet on Twitter that peaceful protest is a guaranteed right, and that the Iraqi forces are charged with protecting the rights of citizens.

Call for investigation
For its part, the Presidency of the House of Representatives Wednesday to open an investigation into the events that accompanied the demonstrations, and said in a statement it called on the parliamentary security, defense and human rights committees to open an investigation into the events that accompanied the demonstrations on Tuesday in Tahrir Square.

In turn, Sadr's leader Muqtada al-Sadr called on the three presidencies in Iraq to open a fair investigation into the killing of demonstrators and wounding hundreds during the demonstrations in Baghdad.

Sadr had criticized in a brief statement the security measures against the demonstrators, stressing that the prestige of the state is not at the expense of the people and the poor.