As protests rattle Iraq, influential Shiite cleric calls to overhaul political system

Tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators amassed in central Baghdad and other Iraqi cities on Tuesday as one of Iraq’s most powerful Shiite clerics, Moqtada al-Sadr, called for sweeping changes to the political system.

For the fifth consecutive day, Iraqis protesting government corruption, high unemployment and other grievances flocked to main squares in cities across the Shiite heartland in the south, demanding a complete overhaul of the political order.

Iraq, despite its vast oil wealth, has been hobbled by a flagging economy and poor infrastructure. It also recently emerged from a years-long battle against the Islamic State militant group.

“Our demands are clear: Change the electoral law and hold a new election that allows us to elect the person we want, not a party that makes agreements behind closed doors to decide our future according to their own self-interest,” said Sarah Mahdi, 24, a volunteer treating injured protesters in Baghdad. “We need a fresh start.”

Sadr, who leads the largest bloc in parliament, urged his political rivals on Tuesday to help him unseat Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi through a vote of no confidence. He also voiced support for revising the country’s electoral law and making changes to the constitution.

“If parliament doesn’t vote, the people’s voices will be heard,” he said in a statement after joining protesters in the holy Shiite city of Najaf on Tuesday afternoon.

At least 83 people have been killed across Iraq since a new round of demonstrations erupted Friday, according to a Health Ministry official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Earlier this month, 149 people were killed in a similar outburst of unrest, government officials said. A government-appointed inquiry into those week-long protests recommended the firing of senior security officials after finding them responsible for protesters’ deaths.

In this latest round of protests, demonstrators have been met with tear gas, gunfire and other violent tactics at the hands of security forces and armed militias, according to human rights groups.

Iraqi security forces have been accused of using excessive and sometimes lethal force against the largely peaceful protesters, including spraying them with scalding hot water.

On Tuesday, Amnesty International described “horrific scenes” overnight in the southern city of Karbala, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, where security forces attempted to disperse demonstrators.

In a news release, the London-based Amnesty said security forces and riot police “opened fire using live ammunition as well as tear gas, chasing peaceful protesters staging a sit-in.”

“Witnesses also said security forces attempted to run them over with vehicles,” Amnesty said, citing reports that 14 protesters were killed.

Iraq’s High Commission for Human Rights said one demonstrator was killed in Karbala, which is also revered by Shiite Muslims, late Monday. The local police chief said in a statement Tuesday that videos on social media showing protesters running from gunfire had been fabricated to “incite the street” against the government.