JFO calls Maliki to protect freedom of media in Iraq

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Journalistic Freedoms Observatory called upon the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to halt orders issued by the Telecommunication and Media Bureau which has recommended the Ministry of Interior to prevent 44 local and foreign media institutions from practicing their work in all Iraqi provinces including the Kurdistan Region. A statement by the JFO cited “The JFO invited the TMB to resort to the Iraqi Judiciary rather than relying on its own regulations that are inconsistent with the articles of the Constitution which guaranteed the freedom of media in Iraq.” The statement added that “Our appeal came after issuance a document by the Telecommunication and Media Bureau demanding the Relations and Media Department within the Ministry of Interior to assume the required measures including prevention of cooperation with these earlier mentioned media institutions.”