Demonstrators in Baghdad demand swift approval of General Amnesty Law
Shafaq News / Dozens of relatives of prisoners gathered in Liberation Square in the heart of the capital Baghdad on Wednesday morning, calling for the expedited approval of the General Amnesty Law.
According to our agency's correspondent, scores of these demonstrators, predominantly women, took to the streets early this morning in Liberation Square amidst heightened security presence.
Recorded footage showcased one protester lamenting the dire conditions prevailing within the prisons, which their loved ones endure. Simultaneously, she called for the swift enactment of the General Amnesty Law to ensure the release of all innocents.
The Iraqi Cabinet had announced new measures regarding the General Amnesty Law on July 18, 2023, intending to amend it and submit it to the parliament.
On September 9th of the current year, the Parliamentary Legal Committee revealed that it had sent a revised draft of the General Amnesty Law to the parliament's presidency for consideration in upcoming sessions, following amendments made by the Cabinet.
The General Amnesty Law remains one of the primary demands of Sunni political blocs, a condition they stipulated during negotiations for the formation of the government, which included the Coordination Framework and Kurdish and Sunni factions. This culminated in the establishment of the new government led by Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.
According to Sunni representatives, the government's agenda includes the issuance of the General Amnesty Law and security audits in their provinces, as well as the abolition or suspension of bodies that have been a source of concern and crisis for them.
However, this law still remains a subject of significant contention between Sunni and Shia political blocs, as an agreement on the eligible categories has not yet been reached.
