Iraq’s Top Cleric Condemns Use of Force Against Protesters

In a message delivered through Friday prayers in Karbala, Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, loudly condemned the growing use of force against protesters, and attempts to violently disperse protest camps in major cities.

Sistani rarely opines of politics, but his words carry great weight when he does so. He has consistently criticized violence against the mostly Shi’ite protest movement. He is now also saying Iraq needs to “hold an early election for the people to have their say,” saying that the new parliament would take steps toward the reforms the protesters want.

There is still no specific timetable for the early elections. Though Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned, the government has yet to pass a new election law. Many protesters fear without substantial revisions to the election law, it will just install another parliament that isn’t answerable to the voters.

The protesters are dominated by Shi’ites, and that has put some Sunnis against them. In Fallujah, they believe that Iraq has had enough protest, and that they are more worried about maintaining stability, and roughly the status quo, instead of major changes.