Iraq: (127)
case of violation of Iraqi journalists in 2009 were distributed between
assassinations, arrests and prevention
The 2009
events which characterized of violations and arrests against Iraqi Journalists
and their rights of press freedoms associated with their right to access
information, refer that press work in Iraq is still associated with danger that
exceeds all the other media and journalists’ experiences in other countries live
the same political and security circumstances.
Iraqi
Journalists Rights Defense Association followed these events with great concern
and attention. It also monitored, during the same year, a large number of cases
of abuse and excess, which laid out a series of violations of press freedoms and
the right of journalists to practice their profession of covering political and
social activities and events. These violations represent a strange and
unfortunate intersection with what the Iraqi Constitution emphasized on in
article (Thirty-eighth) which guarantees press freedoms and the right to access
information. In addition, these violations reflect a dramatic contrast with the
confirmation of government officials and members of the House of Representatives
on respecting press freedom and the right of journalists to work freely and
independently.
At the same
time, Iraqi Journalists Rights Defense Association continued on monitoring the
reactions and official procedures of the governmental institutions and
administrations to find that these administrations did not succeed in providing
legal and legislative guarantees or even security shelters for journalists. As a
result, there was no safe or healthy environment for press job, as well as, no
freedom or independency. In addition, the governmental administrations and
parliament proved no real will or intention to attain any security guarantees
for press or journalists. Consequently, press job accompanied with fear and the
journalists kept working in bad and dangerous circumstances which lack the legal
legislations and the less right criteria.
Press freedoms in Iraq
confront a real crisis
It is an
accurate assessment to say that the number of violations in 2009 had somewhat
decreased compared to the violations and the events of previous years and
reduced in rate during the same period as the assassinations, kidnappings and
physical targeting did not exceed (7) cases as following:
7 cases murder
Failure of 2
assassination attempts
The
incidents of arrest and detention for long periods also a declined, and so on
for the other forms of abuse that have always characterized press job in Iraq.
At the same time, regarding press freedoms, 2009 marked by the emergence of more
than a phenomenon (that could be described as serious, though limited) which
formed another burden on the shoulders of journalists, press organizations and
media in Iraq, as represented in the phenomenon of public threat to journalists
by known political and parliamentary such as suffered by the journalist Ahmad
Abdul-Hussein of Al-Sabah newspaper and the activist Hadi Jallow Meri of the
Journalistic Freedoms Observatory, and the threat issued by the House of
Representatives to fill a lawsuit against Al-Mada newspaper because of a
newspaper article.
Baghdad, the biggest
area for violations followed by Kurdistan, then Anbar
Iraqi scene
witnessed in 2009, (92) direct and indirect violations for the press freedoms,
including (125) journalists and media, distributed on incidents of
assassination, physical assault, litigation, arrest and temporary detention and
forced prevention to cover events and activities at gunpoint, as well as some
government action to restrict some of the pathways and forms of journalism and
media such as trying to impose censorship on websites, newspapers and
publications.
Baghdad alone
witnessed more than 40% violations in various forms, which confirms that Baghdad
still represents the most dangerous place, and that journalists and news
organizations are most vulnerable at the provincial level, while Kurdistan came
at the second rank in terms of the number and types of violations as witnessed
25 per %, then came later the provinces of Anbar, Nineveh, Babylon, Najaf,
Basra, Karbala, Salahd din, Dhi Qar, Diyala and Wasit, respectively, in addition
to (3) violations against Iraqi journalists abroad: (1) one in Jordan and (2) in
Syria.
Arbitrary arrest and
detention
The year 2009,
witnessed (29) cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, Baghdad had the largest
share, followed by the provinces of Kurdistan region, as follows:
1-
Baghdad (11) cases.
2-
Kurdistan (8) cases.
3
-Salahddin (3) cases.
4-
Babylon (2) cases.
5-Dhi
Qar (1) cases.
6-
Anbar (1) cases.
7
-Syria (2) cases.
8-
Jordan (1) case.s
The incidents
differentiated between the arrest and detention for long periods of time ranging
from one week to several months or inquiries for a few days or several hours.
Physical abuse and
forced prevention of covering certain events
The year 2009
witnessed (27) cases of physical violence and a forced prevention of media
coverage including more than (78 journalists), in addition to an unspecified
number were prevented by force and threat of coverage in the province of Karbala
and Baghdad during the opening of the Iraq Museum by the protection of the Prime
Minister. Baghdad was ranked first in the number of violations, followed by the
Kurdistan region in second place, as following the number of violations in the
provinces:
1
-Baghdad (11) violations.
2-
Kurdistan (9) violations.
3-
Karbala (2) violations.
4-
Anbar (1) violations.
5-
Babylon (1) violations.
6-
Diyala (1) violations.
7
-Dhi Qar (1) violations.
8-
Basra (1) violations.
Lawsuits filed against
journalists
2009 witnessed the lifting of (29) lawsuit
of publishing cases and the practice of journalism by individuals and
governmental institutions against a number of journalists and press
institutions. The share of Kurdistan Region got (17) cases ahead of Baghdad that
has witnessed (10) cases, in addition to other two cases in the provinces of
Anbar and Wasit. In line with the seriousness and the importance of this
challenge faces journalism and press freedom in Iraq, Iraqi journalists Rights
Defending Association continued Advocacy program with a voluntary effort,
which includes the attorney of a number of lawyers to stand by journalists and
news organizations on the issues and the charges leveled by the personalities
and stakeholders of cases.
Murders
The year, 2009,
witnessed (7) cases of murder, (3) of them in Baghdad. In addition to (1) in
each of Nineveh, Kirkuk and the failure of two attempts in Baghdad. Baghdad also
has witnessed two assassination attempts led to two journalists were injured.
The most serious one was the attempted assassination of Imad Abbadi, so far
lying in a hospital in Germany for treatment. While journalist Saad Ali Hashim,
survived from an assassination attempt in eastern of Baghdad.
Blocking websites
The Iraqi
government signals about its intention to provide controls and mechanisms to
deal with regulated Web sites in 2009 were a form of violation of press freedoms
and the freedoms of opinion, as, Iraqi journalists Rights Defending Association
registered its opposition to the Iraqi government"s decision to censor and
block websites to concise with the government policy which constitutes a
violation of the Constitution and public freedoms and principles of democracy.
Censorship of
publications
Accordingly
with the Web sites decision, the resolution issued by the Iraqi Ministry of
Culture on imposing censorship formed a dangerous precedent in Iraq, especially
with the existence of Iraqi constitution, which guarantees press freedom and
freedom to publish without restriction and without any official permission as
the Iraqi constitution has given the guarantee press freedom and freedom of
publication.
The right of access to
information
Some
ministries and official institutions continued to pursue paths entirely at odds
with press freedom and freedom of opinion which is highlighted by the new
Constitution as the abstain from holding meetings with journalists, as well as
some of the ministries were issuing ministerial orders to prevent officials from
speaking to the media.
The official response
to address violations
2009 did not
record any positive indication regarding the response of those responsible on
dealing with violations of press freedoms, with the exception of Dhi Qar
province through a rapid response of the governor and the Police Chief to take
quick and deterrent steps against police officers who committed the attack on
Beladi channel staff in the province. In addition to response to the Prime
Minister on the lawsuit set up by the Council of Ministers against Kitabat
website as he initiatived to withdraw the suit, which represents a positive
situation to some extent with the subject of press freedoms.
Ibrahim Al-Saraji
Head of IJRDA
e-mail:
al_srage2@yahoo.com
alijrda@gmail.com
www.ijrda.org
Mob: 07706246249
07901739832
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