At the time, the draft included requests from the Ministry of Interior to impose stern restrictions on the publication of information for security purposes. In that concern, civil activists say that this proposal came as a result of the violence that took place in 2006.
In response to the Ministry of Interior’s requests, Shalah said that “the security authorities wanted to ensure the security of the country, yet lawmakers think differently because this law threatens freedoms and might mistakenly hold innocent individuals responsible.”
The law sparked heated debates within parliament between its supporters, who consider it as a means of protection to the state and its citizens, and the opposition, who believe it could be used by the government as a weapon to quell opposition and limit public freedoms.
Media and civil institutions have warmly welcomed the move to suspend the law. The head of the Iraqi Journalistic Freedoms Observatory, Ziad al-Ajili, hoped that this decision would constitute a start toward fixing the relationship between the news media and the state, and that it would pave the way for drafting laws that reinforce public and journalistic freedoms.
“The annulled draft law imposed stern restrictions on freedoms of speech and access to information, and included maximum sentences of life imprisonment,” he added.
The head of this independent non-governmental organization concerned with defending journalistic freedom called on endorsing a law in compliance with the constitution and with international standards.
Speaking to Al-Monitor, Iraqi journalist Oday Hatem said, “A law regulating cyber activities, blogging and social journalism is needed; yet the parliament needs to reconsider laws pertaining to journalism and freedoms. This is especially true given that five laws dating to the era of the former regime of Saddam Hussein were re-endorsed.”
Ali Abel Sadah is a writer and journalist from Baghdad working in both Iraqi and Arab media. He was the editorial manager of a number of local newspapers, and was a political and cultural reporter for over 10 years. He has published in various newspapers and magazines covering Iraqi political affairs, human rights and civil society.
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