Iraq .. Death toll rising and international criticism of the authorities using excessive force

The Iraqi parliament's human rights committee has confirmed that 323 people have been killed and 15,000 injured in protests since early October, while diplomats from several countries at a UN session accused the Iraqi government of using excessive force against protesters.

The UNHCR said in a report that the vast majority of the victims are protesters who fell during clashes with security forces and armed factions.

"We recommend that Iraq immediately reduce the use of excessive force with peaceful protesters, in particular the unlawful use of tear gas and live ammunition," said Daniel Cronenfeld, a US human rights adviser in Geneva.

For its part, the Netherlands described the use of force as "illegal, random and excessive", while Germany expressed deep concern and urged urgent action to prevent the deaths of more people.

On Sunday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) published a set of recommendations, including the release of all peaceful protesters and an investigation into the killings of protesters.

During the UN human rights session, Iraqi Justice Minister Farouq Amin Othman acknowledged "individual abuses" from members of law enforcement agencies, saying they were being investigated.

Sadr criticizes Washington
Politically, the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr criticized the United States for its interference in the internal affairs of Iraq, and accused the US administrations that they brought corruption and corrupt to the country, which is why they dominate the necks of Iraqis, as he described.

He said that Iraqis are the ones who decide their fate, and do not need the intervention of the Americans and others. He added that his group will not allow Washington to ride the wave to support the demands of the demonstrators in the call for early elections, aimed at turning Iraq into Syria and another arena of conflict.

Sadr threatened to end the US presence in Iraq if Washington intervened again in Iraq, by directing the angry million demonstrations by direct order from him.

The White House earlier called on the international community to support a better future for the Iraqi people, and called in a statement for political reforms in Iraq, including early parliamentary elections, and stop violence against demonstrators.

In the meantime, the head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq, Jenin Hennes Blaskhart to the Shiite authority Ali al-Sistani, and quoted him concerned about the lack of seriousness of political forces in the reform.

She told a news conference in Najaf that Sistani told her that the demonstrators would not return to their homes only after the implementation of their demands and within a specified period.

She said Sistani had assured her there was another way to go if the three presidencies failed to make reforms.

Two dead in Dhi Qar
On the ground, protests calling for political and economic reform continued for the third week in a row, and renewed demonstrations on Monday in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad after a night that looked like a war arena because of the buzz of bullets and tear gas.

Thousands of protesters also continued to demonstrate in the cities of Hilla, Diwaniya and Kut, south of Baghdad, and continued civil disobedience in paralyzing government departments and schools despite security measures.

Renewed demonstrations in the southern province of Dhi Qar, a medical source said yesterday that demonstrators were killed and 18 others were injured during clashes with security forces in the center of the city of Nasiriyah province.