Major Protests in Iraq Targeted by Repression:

2011 Protests ("Iraqi Day of Rage")

Date: February 25, 2011

Location: Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Sulaymaniyah, Karbala, and other cities

Reasons: Corruption, unemployment, poor services

Repression: Gunfire, arrests, curfews imposed

Anbar Protests and Sit-ins (2012-2013)

Date: December 2012 - April 2014

Location: Anbar, Mosul, Salah al-Din, Diyala, Kirkuk

Reasons: Political marginalization, arbitrary arrests, Article 4 Terrorism

Repression: Storming of protest sites, killing of demonstrators, widespread arrests

First Hawija Massacre (2013)

Date: April 23, 2013

Location: Hawija protest site, Kirkuk

Reasons: Suppression of a protest in the 2012-2013 demonstrations

Repression:

Security forces stormed the protest site

More than 50 protesters killed and hundreds injured

Widely condemned but increased tensions in the region

Second Hawija Massacre (2014)

Date: June 2014

Location: Hawija, Kirkuk

Events: After rising violence in the country, security forces launched a brutal military operation against armed fighters and government opponents.

Dozens of people from the city were killed, some of whom were civilians who had been part of the previous protests.

The massacre escalated violence in northern Iraq.

Basra Protests (2015)

Date: Summer 2015

Location: Basra, Baghdad, and other cities

Reasons: Power outages, widespread corruption, poor services

Repression: Gunfire, arrests, protesters forcibly dispersed

Basra Protests (2018)

Date: July - September 2018

Location: Basra

Reasons: Contaminated water crisis, lack of services, unemployment

Repression: Dozens killed and wounded, burning of government and party headquarters

Tishreen (October) Protests (2019 - 2020)

Date: October 2019 - 2020

Location: Baghdad, Nasiriyah, Basra, Karbala, Najaf, and other cities

Reasons: Corruption, unemployment, poor services, rejection of foreign influence

Repression:

More than 600 demonstrators killed

Thousands injured

Assassinations of activists and arbitrary arrests

2021 Protests (Rejection of Election Results)

Date: October - November 2021

Location: Baghdad and other cities

Reasons: Rejection of election results, demand for justice for Tishreen victims

Repression: Clashes, deaths, and injuries