Iraqi court overturns 60-day ban on Mulla Talal
Shafaq News– Baghdad
An Iraqi court overturned a 60-day suspension imposed on journalist Ahmed Mulla Talal, revoking a decision previously issued by the Appeals Council of the Iraqi Media and Communications Authority (MCA), according to a judicial ruling released on Tuesday.
The suspension had been imposed days earlier following a complaint filed by the MCA’s Hearing Committee against UTV, linked to remarks aired during the December 22, 2025, episode of “With Mulla Talal,” which the committee said were offensive to religious sanctities.
The court ruled in favor of Mulla Talal, effectively annulling the penalty and allowing his program to resume broadcasting.
أنصفني القضاء العراقي اليوم، وألغى قرار هيئة الإعلام والاتصالات القاضي بإيقاف برنامجي ومنع ظهوري لمدة 60 يومًا.أتقدم بخالص الشكر والتقدير إلى رئيس مجلس القضاء الأعلى والسادة القضاة على عدالتهم واستقلالهم، كما أشكر كل من تضامن ووقف معي في هذه الأزمة.ستبقى الكلمة الحرة محمية… pic.twitter.com/ERnPTK5bcm
— احمد ملا طلال (@AhmadMullaTalal) December 30, 2025
Following the ruling, Mulla Talal praised what he described as the judges’ fairness and independence in handling the case.
The program had previously been suspended for 10 days over the same allegation by the same committee, before the longer 60-day ban was issued and later challenged through the courts.
Read more: The New era of control: Can Iraq's free press survive its politically-tainted rulers?
