Iraqi activists on social networking sites denounced the statements made by the commander of operations in Basra, in which he vowed to arrest media workers if they covered unauthorized demonstrations.
The activists stressed that "the suppression of freedoms is a clear violation of the provisions of the Iraqi Constitution, as stated in Article 38," and called on the Mongols to intensify and continue the demonstrations.
This came after a video clip of the chief of operations, General Qassem Nazzal, appeared on Wednesday, threatening media workers covering unauthorized demonstrations with "arrest."
Nazzal added that "there are no spontaneous demonstrations, and must be committed to taking security approvals by the governor of Basra, and determine the time and place."
Claims of apology
For his part, the Journalistic Freedoms Observatory called on the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Adel Abdul Mahdi, to state his position on the remarks made by the commander of Basra operations. "These statements are a clear violation of the provisions of the Iraqi constitution, in which the state guarantees freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration," the Observatory said.
Media and academic Nabil Wady told the Journalistic Freedoms Observatory that "the commander of operations did not refer to the legal material that allows him to arrest the media, a security man in this high position should be his words legal and accurate and clear."
"We strongly reject the statements made by the commander of Basra operations and threaten him with journalists, and we will not allow him or anyone else to work to silence the mouth," said Muayad Allami, head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate.
The Ministry of Defense justifies
For its part, the Ministry of Defense issued a clarification on the statement of the commander of operations Basra, said in a statement, "It was clear through the fragmentation of the statement that it threatens media professionals and journalists in demonstrations not authorized to arrest."
She added that after checking the information revealed that the commander was talking personally with a media person, and did not mean the arrest or prevention of journalists, but was complaining of pressure and the leak of information quickly before checking the information from the source of the basic, regretted "to use this statement in the opposite and cut a lot From which he explained that the message of the media is to convey the truth. "
The Basra Operations Command said in a statement that media and media were a red line, and that the constitution guaranteed freedom of information.
communication Web-sites
Dozens of activists on social networking sites criticized the remarks made by Basra operations commander, saying that this was an attack on freedom of expression and contrary to the constitution and Iraqi laws.
Some of the leaders of the media sites used the media to denounce the leader's statements and the repressive policies of the demonstration activists and journalists.
"We have said from the start that his statement about his intention to arrest journalists covering the demonstrations is a violation of the constitution and a flagrant violation of the law to protect Iraqi journalists.
The writer and journalist Ali Abdul Amir wrote "Amiyan leaders" actually determine your destiny, the country, the statement of the commander of Basra operations to arrest journalists continues to anger and demands to remove him from office.
The singer Ahmed Younis al-Abadi commented: Basra operations commander wanted to light the government's attention but turned off its light.
"We tell the team that you are still allowed to violate the provisions of the constitution that gave the journalist access to the information and cover any event, whether for a licensed or unlicensed demonstration," journalist Haider Saibi wrote.
The province of Basra and some southern cities are witnessing semi-continuous demonstrations, intensified every summer season, coinciding with high temperatures and continuing water crises and power cuts, and weak services and employment, as it was limited in 2018, during which clashes between demonstrators and security forces, and caused In the fall of hundreds of people among the dead and wounded.