Iraq: CFWIJ urges Iraqi authorities to disclose information about journalist Suadad Al-Salihy’s arrest warrant.
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Iraq: CFWIJ urges Iraqi authorities to disclose information about journalist Suadad Al-Salihy’s arrest warrant.
October 27, 2020, Nasiriyah, Iraq— Information about Middle East Eye reporter Suadad Al-Salihy’s arrest warrant remains ambiguous with the claimant still anonymous. The Coalition For Women In Journalism calls upon the authorities to disclose this information in order to enable the journalist’s lawyers to prepare their defense.
On 22, October, an Iraqi court Suadad over claims of a libel lawsuit. The warrant didn’t include information about the claimant or which report or content is considered libel.
Lawyers of Suadad tried to obtain this information but the court doesn’t want to disclose any of it until Suadad is arrested. It’s also noteworthy that the warrant was issued without prior investigation or warning or summon order to the journalist although the Criminal Procedural Law requires that she has to be informed about the case and summoned for interrogation 3 times before issuance of such a warrant.
The ambiguity of the warrant and obstinacy of the courthouse to provide the lawyers with information about the lawsuit are a damning breach of Suadad’s right to fair trial and free speech. Social media users have shared posts claiming that this warrant is due to Suadad’s alleged attack on government’s failures and policies in her video. Still, the court didn’t issue any confirmation or denial.
Human rights and journalists' support organizations urged the Iraqi authorities to reveal the nature and claimant of this case and retract this warrant. CFWIJ released a statement on October 23, supporting the journalist against this unjust arrest warrant and calling for retracting the warrant and reviewing the Iraqi penal code.
Suadad works as a reporter for the Middle East Eye and covers political aspects of the Iraqi conflict. She used to work for Al-Hayat newspaper and is known for her balanced and professional journalistic work.
The current obstinacy against Suadad brings back the agonizing memory of Saddam’s regime especially as the law that the journalist is targeted by is one of Saddam's heritage in the Iraqi legislation. The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges the Iraqi authorities to reveal to Journalist Suadad Lawyers the needed information to prepare their defense and take the legal actions to retract this warrant. No journalist should be put behind bars for publishing or expressing their views. Iraqi authorities ought to refrain from targeting women journalists and intimidating them.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org
