18/3/2020
Security forces on Wednesday morning prevented the staff of Alfurat Canal from crossing the control of The Wasiti Hospital in Baghdad.
The staff of the program, “close up” which is composed of the presenter (Laith al-Jazairi) and cameraman (Hassan Doij), were on a duty to film a new episode of the program, when security forces prevented them from passing through and reaching the scene,” said The correspondent of Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq.
At the time that the crisis cell imposed a curfew on the capital, Baghdad, from Tuesday night, it exempted media staff from the obligation to carry out their professional duties.
The Association condemns the ban that was imposed upon the Channel staff, and considers it a journalistic violation, and a restriction on the freedom of journalistic work in the country.
The association also calls on the security forces to make room for media organizations and to deal flexibly in order for the media to play its awareness and guidance role in times of crisis.
