Hassan Hadi was among scores of protestors that had laid camp on Nasiriyah’s Zeitoun Bridge on November 28, 2019, when a large number of security forces, led by Omar Nizar, opened fire on them killing dozens. Nizar was released earlier this month with the appellate court citing “insufficient evidence”.

Thousands took to the streets of Iraq in 2019, a movement that later became commonly known as Tishreen (October) protests, demanding the removal of then Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

Protestors in Nasiriyah, one of the hottest spots of the months long protest movement, had blocked the city’s Zeitoun Bridge when Nizar and his team arrived at the scene. 

After failing to disperse the protestors, Nizar’s team opened fire. It is unclear if they had an order to shoot, but then again, a lack of order had not stopped anyone from targeting protestors earlier during the movement.

Around 50 people fell casualty and over 300 were reported wounded in what later came to be known as the Zeitoun massacre.

Nizar was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in June 2023, however, an appeal court last week released him citing “insufficient evidence”, a move condemned by survivors of the massacre and families of the victims.

“So who were those who killed the protestors with live bullets and where did they come from,” Hadi told The New Region, adding that despite his disappointment in the move, he was not surprised that Nizar got away with what he did.

“We are coordinating with the families of the victims and the rest of Tishreen protesters to take subsequent steps following the Arbaeen pilgrimage,” Hadi said.

However, having the man who perhaps ordered the killing of your children released is not so light on the hearts of the victims’ families.

Jawad al-Waili’s son was among scores of Iraqi youth who took to the streets in hopes of “change and reform”, however his dream of reform was shot dead with him.

“My son and his friends were trying to change the reality of the province, even if it cost them their blood,” Waili said. “He went out, defended his rights, and he was unarmed, not having raised any weapons against any force.”

Haidar al-Salihi remembers the Zeitoun massacre like it was yesterday. 

Salihi had at the time received a phone call telling him that his brother Ahmed was shot in the protests. Unable to reach the hospital, he was dialing up friends in hopes of one of them confirming his brother’s safety, but to no avail.

His brother was already at the forensic department along with other youth that were shot dead that night.

“My brother left with his friends and the rest of the demonstrators after they found the situation in the country unbearable, and that the opportunity had come to reform the ruling system, but unfortunately they were met with live bullets,” Salihi told The New Region.

To him, it is baffling that Nizar was released despite so many testimonies against him, saying that around 200 lawsuits were filed against Nizar, accompanied by witnesses and evidence.

“The court’s decision prompts us to take a stance after the Arbaeen pilgrimage through peaceful demonstrations or meeting with the head of the Supreme Judicial Council to reconsider the case,” he added.