The statement from the UN mission in Iraq came after protests across the country on Friday left 16 people dead, as well as multiple allegations from journalists of assault and detention.

"The UN in Iraq notes with concern that several instances of human rights violations in relation to the demonstrations have been reported," the statement said.

"The reported violations include disproportionate use of force by Iraqi security forces that resulted in the death and injury of a number of citizens; restrictions on the media and attacks on media organisations; and arrests and detention of, in particular, journalists."

It continued: "The UN in Iraq regrets the loss of lives and calls upon the Council of Representatives and the government to ensure that legitimate grievances of the people will be addressed and that those who committed human rights violations will be held accountable."

Some 5,000 people took to the streets in Baghdad on Friday, the biggest of at least 17 separate demonstrations nationwide railing against poor public services, corruption and unemployment.

A total of 23 people were killed during clashes resulting from protests in Iraq last month, including 16 in Friday's rallies, billed by organisers as a "Day of Rage".

Several journalists have also alleged physical assault at the hands of police and soldiers, while Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki apologised to a reporter on Monday after the journalist said at a news conference that his video camera had been broken by security forces.

earlier related report
US Army major convicted for bribery on Iraq contracts
Washington (AFP) March 2, 2011 - A former US Army major and his wife have been convicted of bribery and money laundering in a huge scheme that illegally funneled some $60 million in Iraq war contracts, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Eddie Pressley and his wife Eurica engaged in "an audacious plan to take bribes in exchange for official contracting action on behalf of the US Army, and together they accepted nearly $3 million in illegal payments," Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said in a statement.

He said the pair were "the latest in a line of 16 defendants to be convicted at trial or plead guilty for the bribery scheme at Camp Arifjan," a US military base in Kuwait, where Pressley served as a US Army contracting official between 2004 and 2005.

According to the Justice Department, Pressley arranged for companies owned or invested in by another American, Terry Hall, to receive contracts for goods and services for the US military such as fencing or bottled water, with Hall and others providing some $2.9 million in bribes for the contracts.

The Pressleys hid the proceeds in off-shore bank accounts, and used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle which included the purchase of real estate, fancy cars and home decorating services, the Justice Department said.

A federal jury in the state of Alabama convicted the couple Tuesday on 22 counts in connection with schemes, including one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, eight counts of honest services fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy and 11 counts of engaging in monetary transactions with criminal proceeds.

They face decades behind bars, including 15 years in prison for bribery, 20 years for each of the eight fraud counts, and 15 years for each of the 11 counts of monetary transactions with criminal proceeds. Sentencing is set for June 29.

"Secret bank accounts abroad and an elaborate bribery scheme are not enough to hide illegal actions from our specially-trained" agents and law enforcement partners, said James Podolak, director of the US Army's Major Procurement Fraud Unit.

The Pressleys agreed to forfeit more than $27 million gained through the scheme.

Hall pleaded guilty in February and agreed to forfeit $15.7 million, while other convicted defendants have forfeited at least $15.5 million.

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