Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) on Sunday banned two television presenters from appearing on media outlets operating in the country for 90 days, citing violations of broadcasting rules.
Documents released by the Commission show that Ahmed Mulla Talal was barred, while his program “With Mulla Talal” on UTV Channel was exempted and may continue with a replacement host.
CMC’s Media Regulation Department pointed to a Facebook post published by Mulla Talal on June 27, 2026, regarding Iraq’s participation in the World Cup, which was deemed offensive to the Iraqi state and in breach of media broadcasting regulations.
Talal had already received a warning in March over content aired on the same program covering the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The episode criticized Iraqi authorities’ position, with the presenter describing Baghdad as among the main losers of the conflict.
Separately, the CMC suspended “Voice of the People” on Iraq Al-Hadath TV for 90 days and imposed a matching ban on its presenter, Marwa Hashem. A monitoring report on an episode aired on June 24, 2026, found that it contained “inappropriate expressions” inconsistent with the public role of the media.
The regulator also identified violations of provisions related to public decency, accuracy, integrity, and respect for privacy, instructing Iraq Al-Hadath TV to remove the violations, regularize its legal status, and submit a written undertaking within five days of notification.
Iraq ranked 162nd in the 2026 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, placing it alongside Sudan and Yemen at the bottom of the global ranking. The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights has previously warned of rising violations against journalists, including arrests, assaults, kidnappings, and restrictions on media coverage, citing growing pressure on press freedom and a lack of accountability for abuses.
Read more: The New era of control: Can Iraq's free press survive its politically-tainted rulers?