Thousands of al-Sadr supporters were demonstrating in Al-Hillah, demanding the death penalty for Saddam Hussein, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq reported on 14 October.
Demonstrators also circulated an official statement, which said:
"O believers! Verily this constitution is neither Islamic nor legal! May you not be seduced by the sweet words of its preamble that have been laid down but will neither nurture nor relieve the hunger of those whose rights have been ruined since the establishment of a modern Iraqi state to this day. For this reason, the constitution is not Islamic. His Excellency Grand Ayatollah [Imam Kazim al-Ha'iri] has not approved of voting "yes" [on the constitution], so it [is] clear to the Muslim community that the measures and norms of Islam have not been [addressed] in this constitution. His Excellency Grand Ayatollah [Imam al-Ha'iri] has added: 'Even if I am cut into pieces, I will not approve this constitution.'"
(Translation by Petr Kubalek and Samira Balay)
See also:
Iraq: Parliamentarian Predicts Al-Sadr Supporters Will Align With Sunnis After Election
"O believers! Verily this constitution is neither Islamic nor legal! May you not be seduced by the sweet words of its preamble that have been laid down but will neither nurture nor relieve the hunger of those whose rights have been ruined since the establishment of a modern Iraqi state to this day. For this reason, the constitution is not Islamic. His Excellency Grand Ayatollah [Imam Kazim al-Ha'iri] has not approved of voting "yes" [on the constitution], so it [is] clear to the Muslim community that the measures and norms of Islam have not been [addressed] in this constitution. His Excellency Grand Ayatollah [Imam al-Ha'iri] has added: 'Even if I am cut into pieces, I will not approve this constitution.'"
(Translation by Petr Kubalek and Samira Balay)
See also:
Iraq: Parliamentarian Predicts Al-Sadr Supporters Will Align With Sunnis After Election