Karbala Cleric Criticises Student Arrests
Al-Mashriq is published daily by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments.
The press office of leading [Shia] cleric Sayyid Mahmud al-Hasani has asked international organisations and human rights groups to step following the arrest of a number of students from the Imam al-Sadiq Hawza on August 20-22. He said they were detained for no other reason than that they were “loyal to Iraq”. Hasani’s office asked the government and parliament to look into the incident and punish anyone found to have done wrong. [Other media earlier reported clashes between Iraqi security forces and armed men linked to Hasani.]