Iraq: We condemn the physical attack on journalist Nagah Al-Abadi and her crew by security officers.
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Iraq: We condemn the physical attack on journalist Nagah Al-Abadi and her crew by security officers.
August 16, 2020, Al-Basrah, Iraq -- Nagah Al-Abadi, correspondent of Al-hurra News and her crew was attacked by security forces while covering protests in Iraq.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns this attack on Nagah. Such vile acts that obstruct the work of journalists and suppress press freedom cannot be tolerated.
Nagah, along with her crew, was covering a protest in Ninawy, Al-Basrah when the police launched a physical attack on them. They also briefly, yet unjustifiably, detained the photographer she was working with. Nagah attempted to explain that she and her team were unbiased and were taking no sides in their coverage, yet the security officers reacted in an extremely violent way, smashing their equipment, and physically attacking her.
She shared her ordeal in a video on Al-hurra News and said that the police force used ammunition to disperse protesters, who were demanding justice for Activist Tahseen Osama who was assassinated in Al-Basrah on August 14.
According to the Iraqi Observatory for press freedom, Nagah sustained bruises and experienced temporary deafness due to her injury. Her colleague Mohamed Al-Hilaly was also beaten, detained briefly, and released after a few hours.
Correspondents of Al-Hurra news are subjected to constant harassment and intimidation by security forces in Iraq due to the tension between Iran and the U.S., which led to shutting down the newsroom’s Baghdad office for its team’s safety.
CFWIJ is following the state of press freedom in Iraq with great concern. We have previously reported another physical assault case on journalist Kholoud Al-Taey who was beaten in the Tahrir Square in Mosul by the Peace Brigades of Moqtada Al-Sadr’s militias in response to its coverage and support of the revolutionary movement. We condemn the attack against Nagah and her crew, and urge the Iraqi authorities to stop their police from attacking women journalists. Instead, they must ensure the safety of all journalists on the ground by adopting sufficient precautions, which they often endure at the hands of security forces and militias.
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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
