Death threat against Al-Sharqiya Correspondent in Najaf

16/4/2020

Al-Sharqiya TV correspondent Ali al-Hajj was subjected to an outright death threat, Thursdayevening.

Al-Hajj, a colleague, told Press FreedomAdvocacy Association in Iraq that the threat of death and physical liquidation was received from a person who named himself sheikh of the Mayah tribe via a text message, in the wake of the correspondent’s preparation of a report on the burning incident, which the girl “Malak” recently suffered.

Al-Hajj said he had received several calls from tribal Sheikhs and seniors in Najaf, asking him to abandon his intention to file a lawsuit against the sheikh, who threatened to kill him, but refused to do so. 

At the time that Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq wishes safety to Ali al-Hajj, It considers his threat a clear violation of the freedom of journalistic and media work in Iraq.

The association also calls on the concerned authorities in the country to urgently find a solution to stop threats and control the risks imposed upon journalists at the time of duty, and to establish regulations that guarantee media freedom, without aggressions.