Metro: the "specter" of Article 226 haunts Iraq's journalists

Shafaq News/ Iraqi press freedom watchdog on Thursday denounced the restrictions on journalists' work in Iraq, dismissing Article 266 as a "specter" haunting journalists in Iraq.

"The authorities continue to use legal intimidation, silencing, and the dictator measures of the former regime to nail whoever offers a different point of view or expresses an opinion that opposes it, even journalists, by adducing law," Metro center said in a statement on Thursday, "even though Article 38 guarantees the freedom of expression."

"Freedom of expression is restricted and threatened by the powerful decision-makers under the sight of the authorities," the center said.

The journalism freedom watchdog called for "abolishing or clarifying Article 226 for it is ambiguous and akin for many interpretations that might be repurposed to ail journalists, activists, and intellectuals."

"Journalism was, and will remain, the mirror of society. All the attempts to change, euphemize, and harness it will fail and end up nowhere. Truth always conquers falsehood."

Earlier today, the Iraqi judiciary issued an arrest warrant against media person Sarmad al-Taie for "tarnishing the Judicial institution" in a talk show on the Iraqi state tv channel.

Iraq's state media network banned al-Taie from appearing or making statements to its media outlets and shows. Moreover, the network opted to halt "The Neutral" talk show presented by Saadoun Dhamd on the Iraqi government tv channel.