Shafaq News/ "Al-Nakheel" Center for Press Freedom on Saturday expressed grave concerns over the recent detention of a political figure in Iraq, following a similar incident involving a political analyst just days earlier.

The center denounced the mounting number of legal actions taken against political dissidents, deeming them a "negative message" at a time when media institutions are being subjected to "systematic" attacks.

A statement by the center said, "we express our apprehension over the arrest warrant issued against politician Leith Shabir on charges of insulting Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, marking the second such incident following the arrest of Dr. Mohammed Na'na'a."

The media watchdog said the wave of complaints and legal actions against Iraqi officials delivers a "negative message," particularly since the government has repeatedly committed itself to safeguarding freedom of expression, opinion, press, and media.

The ongoing situation also coincides with growing restrictions on civil, artistic, and media freedoms. The government, according to the statement, should back these liberties and protect the media institutions from "systematic" attacks.

"On this occasion, we remind al-Sudani to honor the promises to investigate the killers of the demonstrators and disclose the investigation results," the center added, reiterating its call for the release of Dr. Mohammed Na'na'a, who remains incarcerated because of a complaint by al-Sudani.

Earlier this week, political analyst Mohammed Na'na'a was arrested in al-Karrada district of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. It was disclosed that an arrest warrant was issued based on a complaint filed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who accused Na'na'a of defamation.

The recent occurrences have elicited a chorus of censure against the Iraqi government, with activists and opposition figures raising alarms against the surging number of legal actions taken against opposition figures.