Journalist alleges assault by Nineveh Council security, officials deny

Shafaq News/ A photojournalist working for the Nineveh Al-Ghad platform was allegedly assaulted on Tuesday by security personnel assigned to Nineveh Provincial Council President Ahmed Al-Hasoud, shortly before the start of a press conference inside the council building.

According to journalists from the province who spoke to Shafaq News, the photographer was exchanging images with his media institution in preparation for a live broadcast when he was confronted by security personnel. The guards reportedly prohibited him from filming, citing a rule against mobile phone cameras inside the council building.

Witnesses added that the security officers “seized the journalist’s phone, forced him to delete all images taken inside the building, and only then permitted him to leave.”

Commenting on the incident, Nineveh Journalists’ Syndicate President Nofal Al-Rawi told Shafaq News, “Assaulting journalists while they are performing their duties is a violation of press freedom.”

He stated that the syndicate is investigating the case, noting that legal representatives from the union are pursuing measures to protect journalists' rights and prevent future incidents.

“Media institutions in Nineveh operate under difficult conditions, and official authorities must ensure a safe environment for journalists,” Al-Rawi stressed, emphasizing the need for journalists to be able to report events freely, without harassment or restrictions.

However, the Nineveh Provincial Council denied that any assault took place. In a statement to Shafaq News, the council asserted that the situation was a misunderstanding rather than an altercation.

“What is being circulated about an attack on a journalist by council security is completely false and has no basis in reality. The incident was merely a question directed to the journalist regarding the use of a mobile phone camera to film attendees before the press conference started. No one assaulted him in any way,” the statement read.

Notably, on February 9, security forces in the Kurdistan Region allegedly assaulted 12 news crews covering a protest by teachers and public employees over unpaid salaries. Reports indicate that “at least 22 journalists were teargassed, two arrested, and a television station raided.”