This is an entry from: Iraq elections 2021: Iraqis await results as voting comes to a close
Activists call for election boycott
10 October 2021 14:31 BST
Activists calling for a boycott of the elections were organising a vigil in Nasiriyah's al-Habboubi square on Sunday.
"We took to the streets (in 2019) to bring down the regime, not participate in it," Natiq al-Khafaji, one of the most prominent activists boycotting the elections told MEE's Suadad al-Salhy.
"This (political) regime is murderous, criminal and corrupt, and we won't give it legitimacy by participating in the elections," Khafaji added. "We called for a national salvation government and laws to regulate the work of parties, disband militias, and prevent political blocs that have armed wings from participating in the elections - but they bypassed our grievances and did what they wanted."