Basra protests crackdown violates constitutional right to expression
Shafaq News – Basra
Iraq’s High Commission for Human Rights on Saturday, criticized security forces’ crackdown on recent protests in Al-Sharsh area of Basra province, calling for an immediate halt to the repression.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Mahdi Al-Tamimi, the office director, condemned the use of force, noting that the freedom of expression is a constitutional right that must be safeguarded. He further called for accountability for those responsible for violations against civilians.
The protests, which have persisted for several days, demand urgent solutions to severe water salinity, deteriorating infrastructure, and the lack of projects that have left the province without basic services.
Addressing the worsening water situation, Al-Tamimi pointed out that despite the arrival of peak winter and higher national water reserves, many neighborhoods in Basra continue to face high salinity and contamination.
“Basra is being deprived of its full water share, with little action from the central government,” he added.
The unrest in Al-Sharsh follows back-to-back protests in Basra’s Al-Hartha and Shatt Al-Arab districts, where residents rallied over rising water salinity and contaminated supplies. Demonstrators set a four-day deadline for authorities to act, warning of escalatory measures, including sit-ins and road closures if potable water did not return. Residents criticized the government for ignoring a crisis that has rendered the Shatt Al-Arab River—once a key lifeline for southern Iraq—unsafe for drinking or household use.
Read more: From drought to saltwater: Iraq's deepening water crisis
