MESOP MIDEAST WATCH EXCLUSIV: UN, US, UK Concerned over Unrest in Baghdad

31-7-22 ERBIL — The United Nations, United States, and United Kingdom have expressed concerns over the protests in Baghdad and the reports of violence, statements said.

“The ongoing escalation is deeply concerning. Voices of reason and wisdom are critical to prevent further violence,” the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said in a statement.

It encouraged all the actors engaged in the political process in Iraq to de-escalate the situation in the interest of the people of Iraq.

The US Embassy in Baghdad also shared the concerns and said it was monitoring the situation carefully.

“The right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression is enshrined in the Iraqi constitution. We join the call by parties across the Iraqi political spectrum to remain calm, abstain from violence, and resolve their political differences through a peaceful process guided by the Iraqi constitution,” reads the statement.

Meanwhile, British Ambassador to Iraq, Mark Bryson-Richardson, also amplified that the right to peaceful protests and respecting the state institutions are key parts of a democracy.

“I welcome the measured security response to the protests. But I am concerned by rising tensions and encourage all parties to exercise restraint and de- escalate,” the British Ambassador said.

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