The undersigned associations and civil organizations calling for the necessity that the Iraqi ministry of Interior should revise its decisions of closing and harassing of nearly 40 media means under the allegations of not having permits. They also calling the stakeholders to act, to force the Iraqi authority to stop implementing such decision.
On Sunday the 24th of June, “the media and communication authority” in the Iraqi ministry of interior, called the mass media “to settle its position”, before “it is subject to the legal producers”.
The Organizations said “any justifications to close the media entities, are not more than away silence the voices and repress the press freedoms”. The organization added “this media entities work in Iraq since several years and therefore, the talks about they do not have a permit, are a silly and unaccepted justifications to harass it”.
The undersigned organizations wonder about the relation of “the ministry of interior” or any other security entity with the work of the media entities. It is also added that “this is an evidence, that we still have the legacy of the dictatorship a live”. They also consider the “permits” as a tool in the hand of the executive and security authorities for the policy of “stick and carrot”, which is being adopted with some media figures in order to bring the supporters near and discard the free, independent and opposition voices.
The undersigned organizations viewed with severe discomfort the news about the document published by “journalistic freedom observatory”, which indicates that the Iraqi security received orders to stop the work of 44 media entity.
Days after that “media and communication authority” in the ministry of interior, received the orders and came into force.
The mentioned document included orders for banning the work of photographers and correspondents of “El-Dyar” and “Babylia” channels, and the broadcast of “Nowa” and “El-Marbed” and other different media entities.
These decisions include significant TV channels and local broadcasts like “El-Bgdadeh” and “El-Sharkeyah”, “some others, internationally known like “BBC”, “Monto Carlo Radio”, “Sawa Radio” and “Voice of America” broadcast.
The undersigned organization on this release “these instructions, in case of enforcing it, will constitute a setback to the freedom of journalism in Iraq and such act of stopping all of these media means will be a reproduction of the policies of the Baath party, to silence the voices and restrict the freedoms”.
They also warned the Iraqi authorities of the serious consequences to implement that decision, which constitutes a serious violation to all of the principles and international norms concerned with the freedom of the media, calling the Iraqi authorities to oblige with the international treaties of freedom of expression and opinion.
The signed organizations
- The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
- Society for the Promotion of Community Participation
- Nadim Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture
- New Woman Foundation
- Hisham Mubarak Center for Law
- Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
- Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression
- Egyptians Against Religious Discrimination
- Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
- Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
- Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners
- Arab Organization for Penal Reform
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