Journalists Prohibited

A radio Sawa reporter was attacked by security guards of the secretary-general of the Ministry of Culture at the recent al-Marbad poetic festival in Basra, acting as a stern reminder that journalists continue to suffer aggressive and humiliating behavior at the hands of Iraqi officials.

“I was having an interview with one of the Iraqi poets in the festival’s hall when one of the guards asked me to stop and leave immediately,” the journalist, Safa’a al-Thiab, told Niqash. “When I questioned the reason, he started hitting and kicking me assisted by other guards.”

Commenting on the incident Thiab said “this is what a journalist can expect in any Iraqi poetry festival away from the camera’s eyes.”

While such behavior might have been expected to embarrass the Ministry of Culture and to mobilize other media outlets in support of the abused journalist, nothing has happened and no condemnation emerged from other media organizations. With the exception of al-Hurra and the Journalistic Freedom Observatory in Iraq, efforts to highlight the incident went unheeded. The Iraqi Journalists Union “did nothing tangible” said Thiab.

Despite recent initiatives by the Iraqi government to safeguard journalists’ rights and to allow them to work in freedom, it is clear that there is no professional framework governing the relations between journalists and government institutions, especially the security apparatuses.

Official responses to journalists vary according to the kind of institution, the level of awareness among its employees, the importance of the media outlet and the official’s position regarding the outlet. In a few cases, journalists may be given special treatment if they have direct connections with government officials, but this creates, in most cases, dependent journalists.

Incidents and attacks against journalists prove that Iraqi officials, who pride themselves on the freedom of the press (at least for the big newspapers), do not yet comprehend the major media changes in place since the toppling of Saddam Hussein. There are still some officials who question the loyalty of journalists and believe that they should be kept at a distance from events. As a result, tens of offensives have been committed against journalists by government or security staff.

For example, the Dhi Qar police directorate issued a warrant to arrest four journalists in al-Nasiriyah on charges of offenses against the police and lack of integrity in articles posted on internet sites. Another journalist working for the Iraqia government channel was investigated because of a report criticizing the lack of services in al-Nasiriyah city. There are dozens of similar incidents.

Recently, in an attempt to improve its image, the Media Office of Nasiriyah province distributed official cards to journalists to facilitate their movement and formalize their work. It is written on the card that “holders are allowed to take pictures and to make interviews.” The cards contain the picture of the journalist and the name of their media outlet. But in reality, nothing can protect journalists from attacks, except chance. Photographers suffer more assaults than others, even though there are no specific instructions prohibiting journalists from taking pictures in certain areas. This is not to say that the Iraqi Journalists Union and media outlets never react. In many instances the union and local newspapers have exerted pressure on certain government officials. Following media pressure, the former governor of Nasiriyah, canceled an order banning interviews with government officials without prior consent from the province’s information office.

Kathem al-Ubaidi, president of the Iraqi Journalists Union office in Dhi Qar, said that “the current situation of journalists is relatively better than before,” especially since last August, when it was decided to “boycott those who offend journalists and to organize sit-ins in front of their premises until they announce a formal apology.” He also said that a committee had been formed to investigate attacks and humiliations against journalists.

“We were able to obtain a formal letter from the provincial council stating that journalists should be treated like employees and anyone who offends them while performing their duties should be punished,” said al-Ubaidi. He pointed to a recent event as a sign of the improving situation. “When the correspondent of the Iraqi channel was harassed by the police, the union took steps and the police chief punished the policeman by cutting his salary for six months,” he said.

Nonetheless, while some improvements are occurring, it is clear that journalists will continue to suffer at the hands of officials and security forces until a more comprehensive declaration of support is embraced by the government and its officials.

– By Ahmed Thamer

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