Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi received on Monday Hamed Saeed, the teenager who was tortured by the Interior Ministry’s Law Preservation Forces.
The torture was caught on video, which was leaked in recent days, causing uproar in the country.
The PM’s meeting with Saeed was welcomed by the general public, which interpreted the move as a form of official apology over the violations committed against him. The meeting marked a precedent as no other previous premier had received a citizen, who was abused by members of the security forces.
Kadhimi has ordered a probe into the incident, which took place about a month ago, but the video was only leaked last week. A panel immediately identified the security forces members in the video and they have since been dismissed from their positions and referred to the judiciary.
The PM said that Law Preservation Forces will be restructured, “because they were originally formed to protect the people, not insult them.”
While meeting was Saeed, he expressed his pain at the incident, condemning how some sides abuse their power violate citizens. He vowed that he will put an end to such practices and that anyone abusing his position will be punished by law.
He ordered that the Law Preservation Forces be educated on human rights and that a lawyer be appointed to Saeed so that he could pursue his case before the judiciary. He also pledged to cover the expenses of his education and to “turn what happened to him into a source of strength that would serve the community.”
Saeed was arrested some three months ago for the attempted robbery of a motorcycle. The video of his torture emerged three days ago. The head of the judiciary has ordered his release on bail.
The Interior Ministry confirmed that the Law Preservation Forces will be assessed ahead of its restructuring, at the order of the PM in his capacity as supreme commander of the armed forces.
