Solin Khalid, a 19-year-old girl who has been in Tahrir Square with her twin brother since the start of the social protests in last October, does not want to go back to her hometown, Khanaqin, even though she and her brother were detained and abused.
As soon as protests sparked in Baghdad, Solin with her twin brother, Walid, went to the capital and have demanded “their homeland” alongside with hundreds of thousands of peaceful protestors, neglecting the brutal crackdown on the protests.
Solin has helped the injured protestors with first aid and her detained brother had been an active participant of the protests.
Both of them have one dream, as their mom, Fryal Mohammed, says: putting an end to injustice and corruption as well as to improve the lives of Iraqi people.
On January 21, Solin, while attempting to help the wounded protestors on Mohammed Qassem Bridge, was detained. Her brother had been detained already.
Solin was released but her brother is still detained.
“My daughter was abused and hurt,” Mohammed Said, “Walid is still detained in Muthana Airport’s prison and we are waiting for his triall to be released.”
She explained that her children have peacefully participated in the protests for the sake of a homeland that can house everyone and ends corruption and injustice.
“My son was abused and his arm pulled… tens of youth like my son are detained and when you see them, you suffer. They are the youth of this country, for what reason are they detained?” she asked.
According to Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights, 536 protestors have been killed, among whom 17 were security forces. 23 thousand protestors were wounded at least, and 72 have been abducted. Only 22 of the abductees were released.
Basma Mohammed, a member of the mentioned commission, said, “we have followed Walid’s case. He is in the Muthana Airport’s prison and has been waiting for the decision of the court.”
His mom asked the authorities to release her son and the other detainees, too.
Solin in her latest phone call has told her mom that, “she cannot come back to Khanaqin, the protestors continuously need first aid and as long as the protestors remain, she will remain in Baghdad.”
