16/8/2020
Riot police severely beat a reporter and cameraman of al-Hurra TV in Basra while covering the demonstration, which erupted Sunday evening.
The channel’s correspondent Najah al-Abedi said on a telephone conversation with Press FreedomAdvocacy Association in Iraq that she was with fellow cameraman Mohammed al-Hilali in a press coverage of the protests in the Manawi Pasha area of central Basra, and was prevented by riot police from covering, and that they were severely beaten.
Al-Abedi said members of the security force had seized their cameras and equipment.
The city of Basra witnessed widespread protests near the residence of governor Assaad al-Aidani, demanding the exposure of the killers of activist Tahsin Osama, who was assassinated on Friday.
The Association which condemns the attack on fellow journalists, considers the incident a clear violation of the freedom of journalistic and media work guaranteed by the Iraqi constitution.
The Association calls on the Prime Minister, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the Minister of Interior to intervene immediately to punish the elements who attacked the journalists, and to identify the officer who ordered the detention and prevention of the press staff, and to severely beat a reporter who was carrying out her professional duty.
The association holds the prime minister responsible for the continued violations against journalists in all parts of Iraq, without any deterrent or any declared attitude.
This confirms the continuation of the approach taken by successive governments to restrict the freedom of journalistic work and violate the Constitution.
