Kadhimi endorses press freedom in meeting with journalists

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi  called for press freedom in Iraq in a meeting with journalists on Thursday.

Kadhimi visited the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate in Baghdad and “delivered a speech during an event honouring the families of the martyrs of the press,” according to the government’s official Twitter account. 

“The press should be free to criticise any situation in the country,” the account quoted him as saying, adding that “Iraqi journalists have fought against sectarian hatred and courageously performed their role.”

The reality on the ground, however, shows the danger Iraqi journalists face when reporting on developments in the country.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the country is the sixth deadliest in the world for journalists, with three shot dead by unidentified gunmen last year. In October, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Iraq ranked third in the world for unpunished journalist killings, followed by the International Federation of Journalists saying Iraq was the most dangerous country for journalists over the past 30 years.

The risk of abduction and death has increased since the outbreak of the protest movement in 2019 , with activists and journalists targeted by militias for reporting on both the protests and the deadly crackdown from security forces and militia groups, who have killed hundreds of protesters.

“Journalists who dare to report the demands of the protesters are liable to be harassed, abducted, physically attacked or even killed by unidentified militias,” RSF has said on the current situation for journalists in Iraq.

Also on Thursday, the streets of eastern Baghdad brimmed with Rab’Allah supporters  who staged a parade threatening the prime minister. The group is said to be linked to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic) paramilitary network, who are suspected to be behind both the deaths of protesters and journalists, and attacks on foreign missions in Iraq. 

“Today’s parade was aimed at destabilizing the situation and preventing Iraq from playing it’s true role,” the PM said.

Press freedom is also an issue in the Kurdistan Region, where  journalists are subject to arrest and intimidation.

Authorities were slammed in February for sentencing journalists to six years in prison on national security charges.   

“Today’s sentencing of journalists Sherwan Amin Sherwani and Guhdar Zebari is not only unfair and disproportionate, but it also proves that the Iraqi Kurdistan regional government has finally dropped the pretense of caring about press freedom,” CPJ Middle East and North Africa Representative Ignacio Miguel Delgado said at the time.