ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Sunday said his government is committed to ensuring Iraq is a “safe environment” for journalists.
The prime minister made his comments as he congratulated Iraqi journalists on the 155th National Press Day held by the Iraqi journalists syndicate.
Sudani commended Iraqi journalists as “a major contributor to building a free, pluralistic Iraq where everyone enjoys freedom, dignity, and respect for human rights” and assured his government’s commitment “to provide a safe environment that guarantees journalists can perform their duties without harassment."
His government, however, has come under criticism for new legal measures. The Iraqi government re-introduced two draft laws to parliament that will severely restrict freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, according to a July 2023 Amnesty International report.
The legislative measures coincided with a crackdown on criticism of government officials and an initiative by the Ministry of Interior targeting "indecent content" online, according to Amnesty, which said that authorities prosecuted at least 20 individuals in the first half of the previous year for exercising free speech.
The proposed laws, if passed, could potentially enable authorities to prosecute individuals, including journalists, for comments deemed to violate public morals and to criminalize online posts perceived as undermining Iraq’s interests, the rights monitor said.
The draft bills have been stalled in parliament for years amidst strong objections from local and international human rights groups.
Journalists in Iraq face numerous legal challenges and endure threats, violence, and imprisonment for their critical reporting, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The media watchdog noted that journalism in Iraq is deeply divided along political lines, resulting in significant polarization and minimal independent reporting.
RSF’s index that compares the level of press freedom in each country ranks Iraq 169 out of 180 countries, two spots lower than the previous year.
"We are proud today that there is no detainee or prisoner for journalist opinions," Sudani boasted in his speech.
Kurdish authorities, however, have repeatedly faced criticism from both international organizations and foreign missions for their jailing journalists as well as for imposing restrictive measures on the press.
According to figures from the Metro Center for Journalists Rights and Advocacy, a Kurdish media watchdog, 431 violations were committed against journalists and media outlets in 2022, dropping to 249 in 2023 in the Kurdistan Region.
Written by Didar Abdalrahman
