UN Iraq chief visits mother of assassinated Karbala activist

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The head of the United Nations mission in Iraq, Jennine Hennis-Plasschaert on Thursday visited the mother of a murdered civil society activist in Karbala, offering her condolences and outlining the international organization’s efforts for ensuring accountability in Iraq.

Ihab Al-Wazni was assassinated in early May in front of his home in the southern city by two unidentified gunmen, allegedly for his prominent role in protests against corruption and foreign meddling in Iraq.

The activist’s murder is part of a series of killings targeting people who actively participated in protests that began in October 2019. More than 500 people have been killed and 7,000 injured since the start of the demonstrations as the result of excessive force by the security forces as well as militias.

Hennis-Plasschaert “expressed her heartfelt condolences and explained the UN’s efforts to promote accountability for the attacks targeting civic and political activists,” according to a tweet from the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

In its latest report, UNAMI highlighted the country’s lack of accountability for the murders of activists and protestors. According to the findings, not a single case related to the killings has moved beyond an initial investigation.

The issue of accountability is one of the main topics of concern for Iraqi civil society and angry protestors whose demands have still not yet been met more than two years after the start of the demonstrations.

‘Where’s my killer?’ was the popular slogan of the newest round of protests earlier this year by Iraqis demanding accountability for the killings of their fellow countrymen.