Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government pledged, today, Tuesday, to pursue the killers of the demonstrators in the popular protests that started last October, stressing that it will put "an end of the non-state line".

"Al-Hashemi's killers will not go unpunished," government spokesman Ahmed Mulla Talal said in a press conference attended by the Shafaq News reporter, "We lost a great stature with a treacherous and cowardly operation carried out by an outlaw group".

He added, "The government pledged that it will prosecute the perpetrators of the crime against Al-Hashemi and the demonstrators", noting that, "a committee was formed to investigate the events of the demonstrations and the outcome will be revealed soon".

Mulla Talal indicated that, "Al-Kadhimi directed the relevant authorities to name a street in the name of the martyr Hisham al-Hashemi to commemorate his memory", confirming that, "we determined to put an end for the non-state".

Mullah Talal also explained that, "Al-Kadhimi directed the defense and interior ministers to supervise the investigation of Al-Hashemi assassination''.

At least 543 citizens have heen killed since the beginning of the demonstrations in Iraq early last October, according to the human rights commission.

The Commission stated that 22 activists were assassinated, while 72 others went missing and thwy are believed to be detained by the authorities.

According to the same report, 2700 activists were arrested, 328 of whom are still in detention.

The United Nations has accused armed groups of being behind the campaigns of assassination, kidnapping and threats against activists, in an attempt to suppress unprecedented movements in Iraq, which is ranked 16th on the list of the most corrupt countries in the world.