IFJ protests arrest of Iranian TV journalists in Iraq
Brussels, June 10, IRNA -- The International Federation of Journalist
(IFJ) Tuesday called on United States forces in Iraq to explain why
troops arrested three journalists in Baghdad working for the Arabic
television channel Al-Aalam which belongs to the Islamic Republic of
Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
"These arrests are the latest in a series of incidents that raise
questions over what media strategy is in place to protect journalists
from harassment," said Aidan White, IFJ general secretary.
The Brussels-based IFJ is the world's biggest journalists
organization representing 500,000 reporters in over 100 countries.
The Al-Aalam network, one of the most popular sources of news in
Iraq since the US-led invasion, says Sami Hassan, Zoheir Mostafa and
Ghuran Tofiq, reporters and cameramen were detained yesterday in front
of the central police building in Baghdad, noted a IFJ statement.
US officials have not commented yet on the reasons for the
arrests, which come at a time of increasing concern about treatment of
journalists.
The Somali Journalists Network on Sunday protested over the
harassment by US soldiers of journalist Ali Mohammed Halane, and in
April, American marines arrested another reporter of Al-Aalam. Abdol
Hadi Zeighami while reporting on US tanks entering the town of Kut,
around 170 km southeast of Baghdad.
He was released after five hours of detention, but the film which
the Al-Aalam crew had shot was confiscated.
"These actions indicate that journalists continue to be subject to
unacceptable pressure," said Aidan White.
"The military administration must come clean about why arrests are
taking place and explain each incident. It is unacceptable to have
arbitrary and unexplained actions that are tantamount to
intimidation."
Controversy still rages around the killings by coalition soldiers
of journalists in April. Reuters' cameraman Taras Protsyuk and a
reporter for the Spanish television network Telecino, Jose Couso, died
after a US tank opened fire at Hotel Palestine in Baghdad. On the same
day Al-Jazeera television reporter/producer Tareq Ayoub was killed in
a US air strike on the company's offices in Baghdad.
Earlier, outside Basra, ITN journalist Terry Lloyd was killed and
two journalists -- Fred Nerac and Hussein Osman -- remain missing
after coalition forces shot up their marked vehicle, added the IFJ
statement.
NK/AH/AR
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