5/6/2021
Several civil society organizations concerned with freedom of expression and press in Iraq, a number of independent local institutions and media bodies, and a gathering of journalists launched the founding framework of the Press Freedom Alliance.
This came at a meeting sponsored by the Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq, and the presence of representatives of Amarji Center, Metro Center, Nerej Network for Investigative Journalism, The New World Newspaper, Al-Marbad Foundation, Owena Newspaper, Hawlati Newspaper, Nineveh Network, Women Journalists Network, Qalam Center, Southern Journalists Network, burj Babel organization and many influential journalists.
The meeting concluded with a number of recommendations representing future action plans, most notably working on the registration of the alliance, setting a two or three-month period of time to begin formal registration procedures, naming the general body comprising all members present at the meeting and not present, and forming committees, the most important of which are the Legal Committee, the International Relations Committee, the Monitoring and Complaints Committee, the Website Committee and other platforms.
The coalition aims to promote the freedom of press work in Iraq, fill the vacuum created by the absence of union work, end impunity, pressure the authority to carry out its constitutional duties to protect the right to freedom of press work, and negotiate with international organizations to prevent any kind of cooperation with those suppressing freedom of press work in the country.
