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Iraqi activists worry about election security

Some parties that grew out of the October protests have withdrawn candidates from the upcoming parliamentary elections over security concerns.
n Iraqi sits across graffiti reading in Arabic "Where's my killer?" and depicting renowned Iraqi anti-government activist Ihab al-Wazni (Ehab al-Ouazni), who was shot dead in an ambush earlier this month, in the shrine city of Karbala on May 23, 2021. A wave of deadly attacks on pro-democracy activists and journalists in Iraq has sparked mounting calls to boycott October parliamentary elections, as perpetrators go unpunished. Killings, attempted murder and abductions have targeted more than 70 activists sin

Activists and youth groups that joined the political sphere in Iraq over the past few months have spoken of the risk of assassination they face because of their decision to run in the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 10 of this year.

The threats and assassinations have prompted them to back out of the elections. This, in turn, has pressured Iraq’s political leadership to acknowledge the presence of armed danger.  

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