Iraq rights group accuses Parliament Speaker of “threatening journalists”

Shafaq News– Baghdad

The Iraq Center for Human Rights on Sunday documented “threats” by newly elected Iraqi Parliament Speaker Haibet Al-Halbousi to journalists and activists linked to commentary on his performance.

In a statement, the center noted that these actions represent a breach of Iraq’s constitution, particularly Article 38 guaranteeing freedom of expression and the press, and contradict international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“Continued intimidation of journalists and activists would damage the credibility of parliament and weaken public trust in democratic institutions,” the center said, expressing concerns about “respect for pluralism and the constitutional role of the Speaker as a guarantor of open debate.”

Al-Halbousi has not commented on the center’s statement.

The 2025 Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ranked Iraq 155th globally, up from 169 in 2024 and 172 in 2023. Fadel Al-Gharawi, head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq, told Shafaq News in May 2025 that despite improvements in press freedom rankings, Iraq remains one of the deadliest countries in the world for journalists, with over 500 killed since 2003, warning that without legal reform and real protection, independent journalism in Iraq risks collapse.

Read more: Silenced voices: The treacherous reality for journalists in Iraq