Iraqi press celebrates 142 anniversary

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The celebrations held by the Iraqi Union of Journalists on the 142 anniversary for establishing Iraqi press received high audience by the journalists, but less so by the artists and intellectuals.   President of the Union Mu’ayad al-Lami declared that the Union is “trying to commence housing units projects during the coming July, provided that the priority should be given to the martyrs of press”.   Iraqi journalists celebrate on 15 June each year the foundation of the Iraqi press. It coincides with the date that the first newspaper was published in Iraq, Al-Zawra’, in 1869.   Lami said in the ceremony, attended by IraqiNews.com, that “360 journalists paid their lives for enhancing democracy in the country.”   “The Journalists Protection Law is now in the Iraqi Parliament for endorsement,” he concluded.   On the other hand, Zain Cell Company allocated 72 million Iraqi dinars for the martyrs’ families. 496