SEPTEMBER 2022

IRAQ TODAY
Iraq Shiite cleric’s supporters demand
assembly be dissolved
BY QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
BAGHDAD (AP) — Hundreds of supporters
of an influential Shiite cleric in
Iraq rallied on August 23 in Baghdad’s
heavily fortified Green Zone, demanding
the dissolution of parliament and
early elections.
The demonstration outside the
Supreme Judicial Council and parliament
buildings in the Iraqi capital underscored
how intractable Iraq’s latest
political crisis has become.
The followers of the cleric, Muqtada
al-Sadr and his political rivals, the
Iran-backed Shiite groups, have been
at odds since after last year’s parliamentary
elections.
Al-Sadr won the largest share of
seats in the October vote but failed to
form a majority government, leading
to what has become one of the worst
political crises in Iraq in recent years.
His supporters in late July stormed the
parliament and have held frequent
protests there.
Caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa
Al-Kadhimi called a meeting of senior
political leaders and party representatives
to find a solution — but al-Sadr’s
party did not attend.
The firebrand cleric’s supporters
pitched tents outside of the Supreme
Judicial Council and carried banners
calling for the authorities to dissolve
parliament, schedule early parliamentary
elections, and combat corruption.
They decried what they say is the politicization
of the judiciary in favor of the
Coordination Framework, an alliance
of Iran-backed parties and al-Sadr’s
Shiite rivals.
The Supreme Judicial Council and
Federal Supreme Court in a statement
said they have suspended court sessions
after receiving “threats over the phone”
to pressure them to dissolve parliament.
That step would leave Iraq with both a
paralyzed parliament and judiciary, and
a caretaker government that can only
perform some of its duties.
Al-Sadr’s Baghdad office in a statement
called for the resignation of the
PHOTO BY HADI MIZBAN/AP
Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr protest in front the Supreme Judicial Council, in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday,
Aug. 23, 2022. Dozens of supporters of al-Sadr, an influential Shiite cleric in Iraq, rallied on Tuesday in Baghdad’s
heavily fortified Green Zone, demanding the dissolution of parliament and early elections. The demonstration underscored
how intractable Iraq’s latest political crisis has become.
chief of the Supreme Judicial Council,
which has issued arrest warrants for
three members of al-Sadr’s party, accused
of threatening the judiciary.
The Coordination Framework has
said that parliament would have to
convene to dissolve itself. It urged al-
Sadr’s camp to “retreat from occupying
constitutional state institutions
and return to the forces that believe in
peaceful and democratic solutions.”
On the day of the protests, al-Kadhimi
left a regional meeting of leaders
in Egypt to return to Baghdad following
the developments. A statement
from his office warned that suspending
the judiciary could push the country
into “grave dangers” and called for
calm and resumption of political talks.
Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed
al-Halboosi tweeted appeals to
protesters not to quarrel with the judiciary,
which he said was crucial at a
time of crisis.
The United Nations also sounded
the alarm on further political paralysis
in Iraq.
“The right to peaceful protest is an
essential element of democracy. Equally
important is the assertion of constitutional
compliance and respect for state
institutions,” it said in a statement.
“State institutions must operate unimpeded
in service of the Iraqi people, including
the (Supreme Judicial Council).”
Al-Sadr on August 17 gave the judiciary
a week to dissolve parliament,
to which it responded saying it has
no authority to do so. His supporters
stormed parliament in late July.
On August 20, he called on his followers
to be ready to hold massive protests
all over Iraq but then indefinitely
postponed them after Iran-backed
groups called for similar rallies the
same day, saying he wants to preserve
peace and that “Iraqi blood is invaluable”
to him.
12 CHALDEAN NEWS SEPTEMBER 2022