Iraqi army unit of Tweereej checkpoint attached to Kerbala operations' headquarter have severely beaten the team of al-Ittijah satellite channel, Friday, while on their way from Baghdad to Kerbala, Ahmed al-Ithari, the channel reporter, told the journalistic freedoms observatory (JFO).

He added that the soldiers abused them despite they showed them the official documents and licenses to allow them entering the city with their media tools. One soldier accused them of being "terrorists" which urged his colleagues to harshly beat them ignoring their crying of their being journalists. The signs of the beating are still shown on their bodies.

The team was held for two hours and then released after many telephone calls made by the JFO representative in Kerbala with the police leadership.

JFo denounces the aggression against the team and ask the ministry to issue a declaration within 24 hours to clarify the reason behind that bad behaviour. JFO lays responsibility on the defense minister for not directing his ministry's elements to respect and aid the journalists and not educating them with the orders of the premier Noori al-Maliki to punish those who violate them.

Later on, JFO will broadcast a video clip on its website showing the signs of the beatings and the torture of the soldiers on the journalists' bodies.