Crackdown on media continues in Iraq

According to an article here Iraqi police are being ordered to shut down both foreign and local media throughout Iraq. Among the targets are such prominent outlets as Voice of America and the BBC television channels.

The Journalistic Freedoms Observatory claims to have an official document that orders the closing of 44 different outlets in all. The document is said to be issued by the Communications and Media Commission (CMC).The document calls on the Department of Relations and Media “to stop media cooperation with these agencies and to notify the police to ban these channels along with the necessity of informing the channels to contact the CMC.” However the validity of the document still needs to be verified according to Russia Today. But there are other reports of the crackdown such as this which came out later. These moves are just the latest moves in attempts to muzzle the press in Iraq.

Al Sadr followers protested in Baghdad's central square against the crackdown on press freedom. They also demanded a no confidence vote in the Al Maliki government. Al Maliki is at present the head of the CMC..For more see this article.