Iraq protests .. Parliament session expected to discuss the demands of demonstrators after a bloody day and a curfew

The Iraqi Council of Representatives announced a special session - Saturday - to discuss the demands of demonstrators and the decisions of the Council of Ministers and the implementation of reform packages. This comes after Iraq witnessed bloody demonstrations that left dozens of dead and more than two thousand wounded.

Authorities in eight southern provinces have declared a curfew, while the Joint Operations Command has accused what it described as a "subversive oligarch" of exploiting demonstrations, killing citizens and burning property, stressing that it would apply the anti-terrorism law.

The Iraqi Council of Representatives is scheduled to hold its session at 1 pm local time (10 am UTC).

Security and human rights sources announced the death of 30 people, including two security personnel, and the injury of more than two thousand, during the security forces attempt to break up demonstrations in Baghdad and a number of southern cities calling for political reform. Eleven protesters were burnt to death on Friday night after setting fire to the headquarters of the Badr Organization, the largest faction of the Popular Mobilization Forces in the southern Iraqi city of Diwaniya, security sources said.

In the context of the Supreme Judicial Council in Iraq on Friday evening the security services in the country to defend peaceful demonstrators.

In a statement quoted by the Iraqi News Agency, he urged "the security services to exercise their duty to defend peaceful demonstrators, not to attack them from any party, and the protection of public and private property and the headquarters of parties." The Council also stressed "the right of peaceful demonstration guaranteed under the Constitution."

On Friday evening, the Iraqi Ministry of Health issued a circular to all hospitals in the country not to disclose the numbers and names of those killed and wounded in the protests, in an urgent circular sent by the ministry to all hospitals in the country. For its part, considered the Independent High Commission for Human Rights in Iraq that the procedure is contrary to the principle of transparency and access to information.

For its part, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command confirmed that the security forces will deal with those whom they called saboteurs during the ongoing protests under the Terrorism Law, and warned in a statement issued by the Joint Operations Command early on Saturday from tampering with the security of citizens.

A security feast
The statement vowed to take "firm measures against those who have nothing to do with peaceful demonstrators, and we call on demonstrators to report them and not allow them to be present in their ranks, and the security apparatus as usual by the Iraqi people will be the categorical sword against terrorism and criminals."

The renewed demonstrations on Friday in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities to condemn the spread of corruption and deterioration of living conditions and demand political reforms, hours after a speech by Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

Abdul Mahdi, in his speech, introduced a new package of reforms, including pledging to confine arms to the state, dissolve armed factions, ensure freedoms, security and stability, provide the best services and employment opportunities for citizens, and provide corrupt to the judiciary and hold them accountable, and achieve economic growth of the country, and reduce the salaries of officials.

Sistani's position
Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, warned that the country could plunge into violence and chaos during the country's protests, in a speech read by his representative, Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, in the southern city of Karbala.

Sistani called on demonstrators and security forces to commit to peaceful, and called for an independent judicial investigation into the violence that accompanied the protests in the country earlier this month, and said that the results of the government investigation did not disclose all the facts.

The Shiite Supreme Leader called for strict measures to restrict arms to the state, to stand firm against external interference in the affairs of the country, and to enact a fair electoral law that restores citizens' confidence in the electoral process.