Iraqi blogger outspoken on protests released after arrest by security forces

Iraqi authorities released popular blogger Shuja’ Fares, also known as Shuja’ al-Khafaji, on the day after his arrest in Baghdad, media sources said Friday. Khafaji is a well-known social media personality who runs the “al-Khowa al-Nadhifa" Facebook page, one of most followed in Iraq.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi authorities released popular blogger Shuja’ al-Khafaji, also known as Shuja’ Fares, the day after his arrest in Baghdad, media sources said Friday. Khafaji is a well-known social media personality who runs the “al-Khowa al-Nadhifa" Facebook page, one of the most highly followed in Iraq.

Iraqi forces arrested Khafaji in his home at dawn on Thursday and confiscated all surveillance cameras at his Baghdad home. Security analyst Hisham al-Hashemi wrote on his Facebook account Thursday that Khafaji's arrest took place "without warrants and in a reckless manner."

Kurdistan 24 could not reach Khafaji for comment and his Facebook account seems to have disappeared.

Khafaji’s arrest sparked widespread criticism on social media. Firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr—who recently called for a one-million-person march in Baghdad—also spoke out to intervene on the blogger's behalf.

Reuters reported on Thursday that a family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said Khafaji had received threats from unknown people in recent days, warning him not to publish posts about the protests. 

Sources told Kurdistan 24 that the arrest was carried out by SWAT special forces at 5:30 in the morning local time. He was later released on Friday and is now at home, sources said, adding that the arrest was indeed linked to recent anti-government protests.

Early this month, a new wave of protests began in Baghdad and later spread to other major cities in the country. Demonstrations quieted down after a week amid a violent crackdown by security forces that led to the deaths of at least 100 people on both sides and was widely condemned by international observers and human rights organizations. 

Read More: Amnesty: Iraqi forces' brutality against protesters 'outrageous’

Shortly after the protests began, Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi attempted to calm demonstrators with promises of reform and a cabinet shuffle. They failed to quell the anger of the public, who continue to call for a complete governmental overhaul amid shortages of public services, high rates of unemployment, and chronic corruption. 

Read More: Iraqi PM promises reform as protest death tolls surge

The incident comes even as Abdul Mahdi ordered a halt to prosecutions against bloggers, activists, and participants in popular protests.

Renewed protests are planned for Baghdad and other cities on October 25. On Monday, Iraq's National Security Council held a meeting chaired by the Abdul Mahdi during which attendants agreed to the formation of a so-called law-maintaining task force in purported efforts to "protect" protestors and encourage peaceful behavior during demonstrations.

Read More: Iraq forms ‘law-maintaining’ force to ‘protect’ protesters

Editing by John J. Catherine