Baghdad: Hundreds of employees from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, associated with various Iraqi universities, have continued their sit-in outside the Ministry of Finance. This demonstration, prominently involving faculty and staff from universities in Najaf, is a call for the respect of laws and regulations governing their employment rights.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the representative of the University of Kufa, Humam Al-Akaishi, emphasized the peaceful nature of the protest. He stated, “This peaceful sit-in by employees and faculty of the University of Kufa and other universities stems from a commitment to preserving the rights of Iraqi university employees and a rejection of any procedures or decisions that we believe infringe upon their employment and financial rights or contradict existing laws and regulations.”

Al-Akaishi further explained that the protesters have engaged with representatives from the Ministry of Finance, presenting their demands. These demands include strict adherence to existing laws, the protection of financial and employment rights of university employees, a review of decisions adversely affecting faculty and staff salaries and benefits, and the initiation of a serious dialogue between government bodies and university employees’ representatives to ensure fair solutions that uphold their rights.