Annual Report on the Freedom of Information and Expression in Iraq from May 4th, 2022, to May 3rd, 2023.

Prepared by the monitoring and documentation unit at the Iraqi Women Journalists’ Forum (IWJF).

Section One: Executive and Legislative Procedures.

* The Media and Communications Commission forms a committee to prepare a regulation for digital broadcasting that restricts freedom of expression.

* The House of Representatives continues not to decide on legislation related to the media and freedom of expression, such as the right to access information, freedom of Assembly, and peaceful demonstration.

* Complicated governmental measures apply to foreign journalists coming to Iraq.

Section Two: Media Freedom.

* The security and judicial authorities continue to restrict the work of media professionals.

* Withholding information.

* Incitement campaigns, threats, raids, and storming of some media institutions.

* Block coverage of demonstrations and protests.

Section Three: Digital Rights.

* Targeting individuals and websites.

* Blocking some websites.

Section Four: Freedom of Creativity.

* Stop broadcasting (Al-Kaser) series.

* Arrest warrant for the actor Ahmed Wahid because of his role in (Khat Ahmaar) series.

Section Five: Gender Equality.

Recommendations.

Introduction:

The security and judicial authorities in the federal government, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and some influential political parties and factions, as well as official media institutions, continued to impose repressive restrictions on freedom of expression in all its forms targeting all traditional and new outlets of expression, such as social media platforms, to limit information flow, and reduce the participation of individuals who share their opinions on government policies in all aspects.

The report was based on the presentation and analysis of the public policies of the Iraqi authorities and their agencies on press freedom, freedom of creativity, freedom of digital expression, the right to access information, the right of demonstration, peaceful assembly, and gender equality in media institutions. All of which were the cases that the Iraqi Women Journalists’ Forum has been monitoring and documenting, as well as providing legal support to the victims of these violations through the legal unit of the forum.

The highest percentage of threats, harassment, detentions, and bans was in the Kurdistan region, according to the results of the report. This forms a great concern and a clear violation of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Iraqi constitution.

The monitoring report on the freedom of information and expression in Iraq from May 4th, 2022, to May 3rd, 2023, is divided into five sections. In each of these, we highlighted the most important public policies and procedures regarding freedom of information and expression as well as a presentation and analysis of the most prominent patterns of violations that occurred during the preparation of the report.

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