SWAT attacks Alghadir staff in Diyala

Alghadir satellite channel’s correspondent, Alaa Hussein and transmission engineer, have sustained serious injuries as a result of the fierce attack that they were subjected to by SWAT forces on their way to Miqdadiya for media coverage.
Freedom of Press Advocacy Association has learnt that the 6-member team was prevented from entering a site in the District. After a short conversation the team was in the middle of an attack being kicked and beaten, some were arrested for some time and their vehicle was shot to frighten the team.
The team included Alghadir’s correspondent, Alaa Hussein, cameramen Alaa Alrammahi and Omar Walid, transmission engineers, Husham Aluqabi and Mohammed Kadhum, and camera assistant, Haidar Alrashid.
On his part, Dyala police commander promised to take disciplinary measures against the officers and soldiers involved in this incident, through a phone call he made with Alghadir’s administration.
at the time when Freedom of Press Advocacy Association in Iraq condemns the aforementioned incident, it presses on the commander to keep his promise and all those who prove to be involved be presented to court.
The Association repeats its concrete conviction that what is happening in Diyala and especially in Muqdadiya, shows clearly the direction of obscuring media and prohibiting any media body from carrying on any coverage; an attitude that severely violates the stipulations of the Iraqi constitution which ensured freedom of press in the country. It reflects on the authorities disrespect for the press community by which offering another strong reason that all media workers leave the province; after the wave of resignations that flooded media bodies on the background of the killings of both colleagues, Saif Talal and Hasan Alanbaki several days ago.