On World Press Freedom Day.. "First Baghdad Declaration 2023" Launched
Baghdad / NINA /- Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the declaration of World Press Freedom Day, today, Wednesday, it was officially announced in the capital, Baghdad, the launch of the "First Baghdad Declaration", sponsored by UNESCO and the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, in cooperation with the Supreme Judicial Council and local and international partners.
The Secretary of the Council of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, Hassan Al-Aboudi, read the text of the statement in the presence of representatives of UN and international missions, parliamentary and government figures, and the press and media figures, and it stated, “Brave journalists, camera crews, correspondents, photographers, bloggers, and media and press support professions risk their lives to inform us of information, cover events, and deliver content in all its forms to the public, and on the other hand, there are cases of targeting journalists, attacks, and restrictions on their freedom of movement and achieving media and press coverage, and there are attempts to legislate laws in which we see injustice that may affect freedom of expression and the rights of journalists in Iraq in general, and we suffer from many problems and challenges.
He added, "While we direct our demands as journalists to the Prime Minister and the heads of other authorities in the country, we hope that draft laws dealing with freedom of expression and the right to access information will be reviewed, as well as the draft information crimes law, due to its problems and shortcomings." .
The statement stated, "The safety of journalists is one of the priorities of the new Iraq, which has approved and adhered to international standards, foremost of which is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 thereof. Iraq has also implemented the United Nations Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists and the Fight Against Impunity for the past ten years and formed its National Committee to Protect Journalists and the fight against impunity, but it is still to this day without a Diwani order that governs its work and gives it privacy and independence that journalists and media professionals in Iraq aspire to.
He continued: "We appeal today, in the name of the press and media community in Iraq, to the Prime Minister to sign the Diwani order, as unfortunately the offices of his predecessors have remained locked up, through national and international reports that address freedom of expression, the safety of journalists in Iraq, and the fight against impunity by shedding light on the gross violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law committed by terrorist organizations and others.
The statement added, "Journalists contribute significantly to combating misinformation and manipulation of information surrounding the security and stability of Iraq. The press and media play a crucial role in ensuring stability and security in the homeland, and therefore we demand that the government support independent and professional media and journalistic institutions."
The statement stressed that: "Many independent and committed journalists and media workers in Iraq continue to contribute to building a better future, and many of them are exposed to daily harassment, violence and intimidation, whether online or offline."
The statement concluded by saying: "A free press supports the establishment of a democratic society, and it is an effective tool in protecting and promoting human rights, so we will continue to fight for freedom of the press in Iraq." / End
