Iraqi presidency stresses the need to protect state institutions

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi security forces isolated on Wednesday the building of the Iraqi parliament from the Green Zone and blocked the roads leading to the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi presidency following a meeting attended by the Iraqi President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi, and the President of the Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zaidan.

The statement mentioned that the meeting discussed the recent developments, its repercussions, the need to protect state institutions and preserve their independence, as well as the need to resume effective dialogue to protect civil peace.

The statement added that Salih, Al-Kadhimi, Halbousi and Zaidan emphasized that the continued political turmoil will negatively affect the national efforts aiming to consolidate security and stability.

The statement also stressed the need to have an active and serious stance from everyone to prevent escalation and adopt national dialogue as the only way to resolve crises.

Peaceful demonstration and expression of opinion is a constitutionally guaranteed right, with the need to adhere to laws and to preserve public security, the statement added.

This meeting took place after the political crisis in the country took a new turn on Tuesday. The Sadrist movement announced an open sit-in in front of the building of the Supreme Judicial Council, the thing that forced the Supreme Judicial Council to announce the suspension of the work of Iraqi courts including the Federal Supreme Court, before deciding later to resume their work starting from Wednesday.

The Supreme Judicial Council mentioned that it decided to resume work in all courts after the withdrawal of protesters, but stressed the need to take legal actions against anyone who violates the law and disrupts the work of public institutions.