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📍 Baghdad, Iraq — August 2025
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Iraqi authorities to immediately release Ali Al-Dhabhawi, director and presenter of Al-Baghdadia TV, and to reinstate the station’s satellite broadcast license. The appeal follows a series of enforcement actions that press freedom groups have condemned as part of a broader crackdown on independent media in Iraq.
🎙️ Escalating Media Suppression
On Monday, Al-Dhabhawi was sentenced to three years in prison under Articles 230 and 430 of the Iraqi Penal Code. His conviction stems from allegations of assaulting law enforcement officers in Najaf and threatening a civilian at a medical facility. The charges were filed after Al-Dhabhawi publicly criticized the National Intelligence Service.
In coordinated raids, Iraqi authorities stormed Al-Baghdadia TV’s Baghdad offices and Al-Dhabhawi’s residence, detaining six journalists and seizing broadcasting equipment. Though the journalists were released on bail, many station employees have since gone into hiding.
📡 Licensing Dispute and Prior Harassment
The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC) claims Al-Baghdadia TV lacks a valid broadcasting license. However, press freedom organizations argue that the channel has faced repeated harassment and arbitrary shutdowns over the years.
Doja Daoud, CPJ’s Levant Program Coordinator, condemned the actions, stating:
“The closure of Al-Baghdadia TV and the imprisonment of its director mark a deeply alarming escalation in the Iraqi government’s crackdown on independent media. Raiding newsrooms, arresting journalists, and using fishy criminal charges to silence dissent are unacceptable tactics.”
📉 Global Press Freedom Concerns
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has joined CPJ in denouncing the closure and urged Iraqi authorities to restore the channel’s license. Iraq currently ranks 156th out of 180 countries in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index.
The shutdown of Al-Baghdadia TV follows similar actions against other outlets, including Media21 and Iraq AlHadath, both of which were closed in recent months.
🛑 Legal Defense and Ongoing Risks
Wahab Al-Janabi, legal counsel for the detained journalists, described the charges against Al-Dhabhawi as exaggerated and politically motivated. He emphasized the need for transparent legal proceedings and protection for journalists operating in hostile environments.
The case has drawn international attention and renewed calls for Iraq to uphold its constitutional guarantees of free expression and press independence.
Source: Excerpts from jurist.org article by Harjaap Ahluwalia, Osgoode Hall Law School, Canada.
