Hayder Hamzoz, in his own words,how peaceful Iraqi bloggers and activists are easy targets for thugs and proxies of IG

Dear all

another attacked from people in civilian address and Iraqi Army on Iraqi Blogger ( Hayder Hamzoz ) in Tahrir Sq, in Baghdad - Iraq , because he record  the demonstrations and the Iraqi Army when they shot in sky in Tahrir Sq, to attacked the demonstrations , so more than 8 persons in civilian addre4ss try to attacked me and take my phone and flip camera that i record and share the information through these tools so i went to outside tahrir Sq, to Iraqi Army to protect me , the Iraqi army beaten me and said " give the Camera to this people " , he's said to me to give my camera to people in civilian address 

i went directly to some leaders in the same place , you must take these people that take the camera and my phone , they are near from here , he said " the leader of army in tahrir Sq. " go out " , and some of soldiers around him , beaten me 


the citizen journalist and freedom of speech in dangerous , i closed my facebook and twitter , because before  one week i got a threats from unknown people via E-mails and private facebook message that they know me , and they will follow me everywhere and attacked me if i participate again in demonstrations because i covered the demonstrations and protect the human right and freedom of speech

after 20 minutes when i attacked , another people in civilian address attacked some demonstrator with electricity tool and beaten them heavily , and the army see that , and did not do anything , just saw that , because these persons " in civil an address " from intelligence


my life dangerous , but we will hard to protect the freedom , and human right in Iraq



this the second time when Hamzoz attacked from intelligence from government , the first time in 22 April when they attacked him when he broadcasting the demonstrations from his phone 





Iraq: Attack against human rights defender and blogger Mr Hayder Hamzoz
Front Line expresses concern regarding the attack against Iraqi human rights defender and blogger Mr Hayder Hamzoz on 22 April as he was taking part in a regular Friday protest in Sahat Al -Tahrir, a public square in Baghdad. Hayder Hamzoz attends the protests at Al-Tahrir square every Friday and uses his mobile phone to record the events to put up on Twitter and Facebook.
Further Information
On 22 April he was approached by young men who asked him about his Qalaxy mobile phone (a type of mobile that facilitates connection to social media networks) and then took the phone away. It is reported that he managed to take back his phone, but the group was then joined by more than 9 people at which point Hayder Hamzoz ran to escape the assault. The men reportedly grabbed him and beat him up using their hands and feet, causing him to bleed and almost faint. His phone was confiscated.
The security forces who were around at the time reportedly stopped protesters and friends of Hayder Hamzoz from rendering assistance to him. The attackers then made away with the phone under the watchful eye of the security forces who did not interfere. Following the attack, Hayder Hamzoz, along with human rights defender Hanaa Adwar, went to the army officer who was in charge of the surrounding area but he refused to listen to their story. Later that night the attackers called him on another number and told him not to record or post anything anymore.
Hayder Hamzoz was the only protester to be attacked by the assailants, a matter which casts doubt as to their real motives. It is suspected that the assailants are security men in plainclothes who apparently attacked him as a reprisal against his peaceful cyberactivism.
Hayder Hamzoz, aged in his early twenties, is a prominent blogger and documentalist who runs a popular blog titled Iraqi Streets 4 Change. He also organises the coverage of peaceful Iraqi protests over the internet and has set up along with others a short messaging service which does not require subscription to the internet. Along with his colleagues, he also utilises social media networks to mobilise and document peaceful mass protests to encourage the Iraqi government to expedite democratic reforms. It is believed that the attack on Hayder Hamzoz is related to his peaceful and legitimate work as a blogger.






Hayder Hamzoz

Iraqi Blogger & Social Media Activist