The Iraqi Observatory for Journalistic Freedoms reported raiding a journalist's home and arresting her in the capital, Baghdad, for "publishing corruption files", before releasing her on bail after pledging to appear in court later.
The observatory (a non-governmental organization based in Baghdad) said - in a statement - that "a force coming from Basra Governorate (south) raided the apartment of journalist "Zaman Al-Fatlawi" and arrested her in the Salhiya area of the capital, Baghdad, and took her to a police station at three o'clock in the morning.
The center added that the authorities released her on bail the next day after pledging to appear before a court in Basra within a short period.
The observatory did not clarify the accusation attributed to the journalist, but the latter told the observatory that this comes against the background of her publication of "compelling documents about corruption cases in Basra Governorate, supported by evidence."
Al-Fatlawi added that she was treated harshly, and was not allowed to contact anyone, and her personal phone was withdrawn, according to what the observatory reported.
She indicated that she may be sentenced to several years in prison, calling on Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to "save her", especially since - as she said - she lives in compelling financial conditions, and does not even have the rent of the apartment in which she lives with her family members who suffer from illness.
Iraq is among the most corrupt countries in the world, according to Transparency International's index over the past years.
Corruption and security tensions are two main reasons for the failure of successive governments to improve the country's conditions, despite the large financial revenues generated from the sale of oil.
On May 23, Iraqi President Barham Salih said - in a televised speech - that $150 billion had been smuggled abroad from corruption deals since 2003.