Iraqi Kurds slam anti-rally law

Sun Dec 19, 2010

Thousands of Iraqi Kurds have taken to the streets of the northern city of Suleymaniyeh to protest against a recent law restricting the right to demonstrate.

Last week, the rule was signed into law by Massoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

More than 2,000 people, holding placards and chanting slogans, attended Saturday's peaceful protest.

"This law is a retreat from the path of democracy in Kurdistan, and infringes on people's freedom to express their opinions," said head of the Kurdish Institute of Elections Aram Jamal, quoted by AFP.

Around 100 police officers monitored the protest, but made no arrests.

Earlier, Kurdish journalists, political groups and figures had signed a letter demanding the abolition of the law.

Meanwhile, Kurdistan's small opposition parties voted against the legislation in the regional parliament.

However, the ruling Kurdistania coalition, made up of Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, approved the bill which was signed into law on Thursday.

The new law is described by activists as a move against freedom and democracy.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156120.html.