Asia correspondent in Basra receives anonymous threats of killing

Ihab Najm, a correspondent for The Asia Channel in Basra, received threats of killing by unknown assailants

“He received calls threatening to physically liquidate him on Friday evening, from unknown persons whose identities are being investigated by competent authorities,” he said, calling on the provincial security services to protect his life and family

The colleague was attacked by one of the coordinators of the Basra demonstrations earlier, while he was at a demonstration for the people of the province to demand job opportunities

The press freedom advocacy association in Iraq confirms the unprecedented growing dangers of journalism in Basra, accompanied by intimidation and kidnapping of a number of activists and protesters, and restrictions by official security and administrative agencies

The association condemns the violations suffered by media cadres in all Iraqi provinces, including death threats without effective follow up on the perpetrators to hold them accountable

The association also calls on the Basra operations command and the local government to provide immediate and full protection to colleague Ihab Najm, and to identify the people who threatened the journalist, in clear defiance of the Basra operations command, to reveal their identity and obtain their just punishment, otherwise the operations command will be considered void of authority, since the security of journalists, as well as the general public is not a prior concern