In Iraq, unidentified gunmen on motorbikes assassinated anti-corruption activist Ehab al-Wazni near his home in the city of Karbala early Monday. His killing follows the murders and kidnappings of dozens of other activists who joined an October 2019 anti-government uprising to demand jobs, better services and an end to corruption. Hundreds of people were killed during those protests. Local activists blame armed militias backed by Iran for the continuing violence, and protests have erupted in Karbala. This is a journalist speaking from al-Wazni’s funeral Sunday.

Zeinab Al-Ali: “This killing operation can happen to any civil society activist. At any time, we could see a friend or a colleague or any protester or civil society activist be killed easily and his blood shed. And the government does not do anything. Why hasn’t it disclosed who killed the protesters?”