Late at night on November 6, 2019, prominent writer and human rights activist Amjad Al-Dahamat was assassinated by gunmen led by Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq militia member Hassan Trad Ghalim. The gunmen were driving a black car without plates and used silencer pistols.

The murder took place just 500 meters from the Headquarters of the Police Command in Al-Amarah city, after Al-Dahamat attended a meeting with the Police Commander together with several activists. Civil society activist Bassam Mehdi, who accompanied Al-Dahamat, was reported to have been seriously injured in the armed attack.

Al-Dahamat, who was considered one of the most important leaders of the popular demonstrations in Maysan governorate,  trained thousands of young people in his area on how to volunteer for civil work and contributed effectively to all the protests that took place in the governorate. In one of his last published articles, he stated, “It is up to the youth themselves. Yes, no one will give you anything. You have to take it for yourself, beginning with your slogans: ‘We want a homeland’, and ‘I came down to take my rights.’