Harb: Zawra Newspaper not Iraqi Journal

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi legal expert Tariq Harb surprised all sides by confirming that “Al-Zawra Newspaper is not an Iraqi Newspaper in terms of name, ownership, administration, editing, funding, printing, and subject.” He said “The fatal mistake is to regard the day of issuance Zawra newspaper on June, 15, 1869 a day for the Iraqi Press since Zawra is not an Iraqi newspaper as it was issued by the Ottoman (Turkish) Viceroy in Baghdad.” Furthermore, its issuance in Baghdad is not considered as a criterion to specify its nationality and identity to be an Iraqi newspaper since there are many publications which belong to certain countries but they are issued in other countries especially in times of occupation and colonization.” Harb’s remarks came on the eve of Al-Zawra newspaper anniversary in June, 15, 1869 which is adopted as the day of the Iraqi Press. He added saying that “This newspaper was printed in Turkish language rather than Arabic language, the language of the Iraqi people,” stressing that “Even though there was a translation in Arabic, we cannot consider it as an Arabic journal.” It is worth to mention that the Iraqi Press Day is celebrated on June, 15 every year. The Journalists Syndicate decided to postpone the celebration of this occasion on June 15 since it coincides with the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Musa al-Kadhim.