Iraqi activist: Tishreen protest anniversary to focus on key issues in Baghdad's Tahrir Square

Shafaq News/ The upcoming anniversary of Iraq’s Tishreen (October) protests will be marked by a central demonstration in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, focusing on five critical demands, a prominent activist said on Friday.

Firas al-Jalibawi, a member of the Central Committee for the Tishreen Protests and a civil rights activist, told Shafaq News that several meetings had been held among coordinating bodies and civil groups to plan the event. "It was agreed that the commemoration of the Tishreen protests would be unified and central for all governorates, taking place in Tahrir Square in Baghdad," he said.

Al-Jalibawi explained that the gathering would begin early on the morning of October 1st and conclude in the afternoon after the scheduled cultural activities. “The protesters would raise slogans focusing on key issues such as revealing the identities of those responsible for killing demonstrators, determining the fate of the missing, and providing medical care for injured protesters.”

In addition to these demands, the protestors will call for the recovery of looted funds, including those stolen in the infamous "theft of the century" case, and the arrest of all those involved. There will also be a demand for the prosecution of corrupt politicians and those involved in wiretapping operations.

The Tishreen protests began in October 2019, initially involving small groups of young people who blocked roads in parts of Baghdad. After a brief halt during religious ceremonies, the protests resumed with full force on October 25th, centering on Tahrir Square and spreading to other parts of central and southern Iraq.

These protests saw attempts to storm the Green Zone in Baghdad, attacks on local government buildings in various governorates, and widespread disruptions, including the closure of schools, universities, and government offices.

The clashes between protesters and security forces led to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, with both sides suffering casualties.