Iraqi President Barham Salih called on protestors in Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah province – angered over unpaid wages – and police to act peacefully, Al-Arabiya TV reported.
“We have been monitoring for days, with great concern, the escalation of events in the city of Sulaymaniyah, including demonstrations accompanied by acts of violence, which led to the injury of a number of citizens and security forces, and a number of buildings were burned and destroyed,” he said.
He added that a peaceful protest is a guaranteed constitutional right that must be respected. He further said that it is the public’s right to demonstrate peacefully and call for their demands, especially those related to securing a decent living for them and their families.
Salih also called on the relevant authorities to meet the demands and work on solving the problem of salaries, and improve living conditions.
“We repeat that violence is not a solution to confront the legitimate demands of citizens, and these demands made by peaceful protestors must be respected. We also ask the security forces to act according to the law and to refrain from using violence, and to allow the media to freely practice their work without restrictions or aggression,” he said.