Protesters storm Baghdad office of Saudi broadcaster MBC
New York, May 19, 2020 — Iraq authorities should conduct a transparent and speedy investigation into the ransacking of the Baghdad office of the Saudi broadcaster MBC and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Security forces in Iraqi Kurdistan detain 8 journalists in Duhok covering protest; charge 4
New York, May 18, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the detention of at least eight Kurdish Iraqi journalists covering a protest in Duhok on May 16 and called on the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan to drop all charges pending against four of them.
Journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan tell CPJ of obstruction and opportunities covering COVID-19
On May 10, Saman Barzinji, the health minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan regional government, announced that the COVID-19 pandemic no longer posed a threat to the region, and that the area would gradually reopen, according to news reports.
Egyptian police arrest Mada Masr editor Lina Attalah outside of Tora prison
New York, May 17, 2020— Egyptian authorities must immediately release Mada Masr editor-in-chief Lina Attalah, who was arrested outside the prison where her colleague Alaa Abdelfattah is on hunger strike protesting his detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Regional authorities in northeast Syria suspend Rudaw TV reporter’s credentials for 2 months
New York, May 11, 2020 — Authorities in northeastern Syria should reverse their suspension of reporter Vivian Fatah’s press credentials and allow all journalists to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
CPJ, 192 partner organizations urge UN Secretary General to take action to secure release of jailed journalists amid COVID-19
The #FreeThePress campaign, made up of 193 press freedom and human rights organizations and the more than 11,337 concerned citizens who signed the petition, urges the UN secretary general to take immediate action to secure the release of journalists jailed around the world whose lives are risk due to the spread of COVID-19.
Iran arrests 2 journalists for allegedly sharing cartoon mocking government’s COVID-19 response
Washington, D.C., April 27, 2020 — Iranian authorities should immediately drop their investigations into journalists Masoud Heydari and Hamid Haghjoo, and let them work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Iraqi reporter Ali al-Haj threatened over reporting
On April 16, 2020, a person who described themselves as the Sheikh of the Al-Mayah tribe texted Ali al-Haj, a reporter for the Iraqi broadcaster Al-Sharqiyya in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, demanding he stop his reporting and threatened him, according to al-Haj, who spoke with CPJ via messaging app.