Jan 24, 2017

Iraqi Army 11th Division individuals attacked and beat up Baghdad’s NRT Arabic crew today.

The crew was covering the bombing scene targeted al-Nahda Zone in central Baghdad Tuesday when the Division soldiers ran towards the team while their commander was looking.

Reporter “wail al-Shamari” & his photographer “Nooriddin Saad” told the JFO that they were “severely beaten by a direct order from the 11th Div Army Commander whom was standing there looking at us”.

Al-Shamari added from the hospital “his soldiers prevented us, damaged our equipments and kicked us away from covering the bombings”.

Later on this afternoon JFO informed that both the reporter & his photographer were immediately taken to a nearest hospital near the scene.

11th  Iraqi Army Div has a remarkable bad record against reporters in general, throughout the duration of its control over parts of the capital Baghdad areas, it used to prevent media coverage and usually using excessive violence against reporters in varies occasions.

Journalistic Freedoms Observatory (JFO) finds that attacks on journalists during bombings covering are an attempt to blur the facts and hide the various aspects of the security flaw.

JFO calls on the Iraqi Armed Forces Leader Haider al-Abadi to end such a military commands that disrespect the law & distorts the system's reputation in the country, and prevent them from exercising any violence towards reporters in the field, JFO also calls on Iraqi Prime Minister to order an investigate such a bad usual intention from the 11th Div commander.