Two TV stations closed for showing Iraqis protesting against death sentence for Saddam

Statement, Reporters Without Borders

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the Iraqi government’s decision yesterday to close down two privately-owned TV stations for "inciting violence and murder" by screening footage of protests against former President Saddam Hussein’s death sentence. The main daily newspapers have also been suspended for three days beginning yesterday under a curfew decreed prior to the verdict. "As well as the growing violence against journalists in the field, press freedom violations are also on the increase," Reporters Without Borders said. "We fear that the Iraqi authorities are exploiting the public’s concern about the bombings and sectarian violence in order to restrict press freedom more and more. Both Iraqi and foreign journalists should be able to freely report the Iraqi people’s reactions."...

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