29/10/2021
Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq learned that the UTV Baghdad office was raided by militants who delivered a (lighters) message to the reception on the background of hosting a politician a day before.
Sources said that 15 militants raided the office that lies at AlNidhal Street in Baghdad, threatened the staff and terrified them, and demanded that the lighters (threat message) be delivered to three of the political program presenters in the channel. The staff stressed that they know nothing about the affiliation of those gangs who were boarding four wheel drive vehicles with shadowed windows and no plates.
This is the second time that the UTV is threatened to be set on fire. The channel’s Durector, Ali Abdulamir Ijam is under constant pressure concerning the political programs that agitated certain views.
A statement was released late at night by the Director General mentioning that the office was raided on Thursday evening by an unknown group who threatened and terrified the staff and media-workers.
At the time that the Press Freedom Advocacy Association condemns this armed raid against the channel, it stresses on the fact that the limiting process of free expression and journalism continue with no confrontation and that the press freedom indicators are deteriorating dramatically.
The association demands the Commander in Chief of Armed Forces to investigate this incident without delay and to identify the aggressors and hold them accountable to secure the constitutional rights of free journalism in the country.
