Al-Lami: Iraq Provided The Largest Number Of Journalists Martyrs ... And No Imprisoned Among Its Journalists
Baghdad / NINA /- The head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, President of the Federation of Arab Journalists, Muayyad Al-Lami, confirmed: “Iraq is the only country in the region that does not have a journalist imprisoned on the issue of opinion or publication," indicating that "Iraq is the country that has provided martyrs journalists more than others.”
Al-Lami said in an interview with France 24: “Since 2003, there has been a major change in journalistic work, as we now have thousands of journalists working in press institutions, but with this there has been the systematic and organized killing of Iraqi journalists,” indicating: “Iraq is the country that has provided most martyrs journalists, as more than 500 journalists have fallen as martyrs since 2003 until now.”
He added: “The press in Iraq now may be the most prominent in the region, as it has a very strong syndicate, and the head of the Journalists’ Syndicate has been the head of the Federation of Arab Journalists since 2016, and in the leadership of the International Federation of Journalists we have also worked for a long time,” pointing out: “The institutions in the country now respect the Iraqi press and dealt with as a true fourth authority, and we now have complete independence.”
The head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate explained: “Iraq, for 15 years, has been the only country in the region that does not have a journalist imprisoned on the issue of opinion or publication, and this is counted for journalists as well as for the state and even for the government and their syndicate. And despite the huge amount of problems and major issues in Iraq, there is no journalist imprisoned on the issue of opinion or publication, and this also is counted for the Supreme Judicial Council and its president, Dr. Faiq Zaidan, who prevented the arrest and imprisonment of the journalist, except for the summons, which is through the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, and the Syndicate is the one who nominates experts to determine whether the journalist has offended or committed defamation against others. And this is a good thing.”
Regarding the achievements and gains achieved for journalists, Al-Lami said: “We fought bitterly with the House of Representatives until we were able to approve the Journalists’ Rights Law and the Journalists’ Protection Law,” indicating: “There is a full salary and one of the best salaries for the families of martyred journalists, and there is a residential plot of land on which a family home will be built for every journalist martyr, in addition to many benefits for journalist martyrs and even injured journalists, have lucrative retirement salaries and we have provided them with housing units.”
He continued: “More than 11,000 residential plots of land have been distributed to Iraqi journalists in the governorates, so far, and part of them is in Baghdad, and now we have a large housing project for journalists in Baghdad that will be completed soon, and there is a discount on Iraqi Airways boarding and free treatment for all Iraqi journalists, in addition to solidarity aid for the families of affected journalists,” stressing: “The Iraqi journalist is protected by his syndicate so that he can work and convey people’s concerns according to a professional discourse.”/ End
