Iraq's CMC bans on-air crime reenactments

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) on Thursday warned that media outlets must not reenact criminal acts in any programs or formats, noting that such broadcasts violate regulations, societal values, and basic principles of human justice.

In a letter to the Interior Ministry, the CMC pointed to cases where media outlets broadcast suspects confessing to crimes and reenacting events, cautioning that programs presented as “crime exposure” or “punishing perpetrators” risk undermining human dignity, promoting criminal behavior, misleading public opinion, and disrupting ongoing investigations.

Highlighting the broader societal risks, particularly for children and adolescents, the commission noted that such content breaches Article 2/1/H of the Media Broadcasting Regulations, which prohibits the promotion or justification of criminal conduct.

The CMC further urged authorities to immediately halt these media practices, respect individuals’ privacy and legal rights, and avoid issuing media judgments.

The letter stressed the importance of coordinating with security agencies in all cases involving media coverage of criminal issues, underlining the commission’s commitment to enforcing the law and guiding media toward responsible practices that protect justice and human dignity.