Iraqi government refuses to close any newspaper – Spokesman

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Official Spokesman of the Iraqi government, Ali al-Dabbagh, has said on Wednesday that his government refuses to close any newspaper or to tighten freedoms, reiterating that the government strives to encourage the media to serve the citizens. “The government strives to encourage the Iraqi media to be active, through granting it the freedom of expression of opinion and democracy, within the legal framework and to encourage the media to serve the citizens,” Dabbagh said in a speech at the celebration on the occasion of the 142nd anniversary of the Iraqi Press. “The government rejects having a Ministry of Information, because it does not want to have a ministry that speaks about ‘the Sole Leader,’ or to praise ‘the Sole Party,’ he said. “We also refuse to close any newspaper or tighten the freedom of expression, or to use the ‘scissors of the observer’,” he added.   In conclusion, Dabbagh said that “the Iraqi Journalists Protection Law shall be issued, according to its necessity.”   SKH (TS)/SR 447