Sistani backs Iraqi government crackdown on outlawed militias
Top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani backs early elections and calls on the Iraqi government to take action against the outlawed militias and mafia active in the country.
During a meeting Sept. 13 with the special representative of the UN secretary-general for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called on the Iraqi government to go ahead with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's plans for early elections and to impose rule of law, confiscate illegal arms, stop certain groups from dividing Iraq into spheres of influence forcibly under different excuses, fight corruption unselectively and seek justice for all who were killed, injured or abducted during the ongoing reform protests in Iraq.
“The parliamentary elections scheduled for next year … must be provided with the necessary conditions that result in a high degree of credibility, so that the citizens are encouraged to participate in the elections widely,” Sistani said.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi had announced last month that he is planning to organize early elections in June 2021.
However, early elections require three essential steps. The first step is the finalization of the elections law that is still disputed among the political parties. The second step is the amendment of the Elections Commission that was formed recently but has not been accepted by the protesters due to the political parties' role in selecting its members. Serving judges make up the current commission, but the protesters are asking to replace them with retired judges to prevent any kind of influence from the judiciary system or political parties that some judges are affiliated with. The final step is the formation of the Federal Court that is in charge of overseeing the elections.
