Journalistic Freedom Observatory denounces the assault against journalists covering New Year's Eve in Kirkuk

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Observatory for Press Freedom on Saturday denounced the security forces' assault against reporters covering the New Year's Eve celebrations in Kirkuk.

"Security forces in Kirkuk assaulted NRT reporter, Diyar Mohammad, while covering the celebrations of the 2021 new year's eve and destroyed his phone," information by the Journalistic Freedom Observatory and the Journalists Support Group in Kirkuk revealed, "when a group of media persons and journalists expressed their discontent to Kirkuk's Emergency Police, they were assaulted and insulted."

The Observatory demanded the authorities to carry out a transparent and swift investigation into the circumstances of the incident, hold the perpetrators accountable, and compensate them for the damages.

The statement of the Observatory expressed concerns over the increasing frequency of assaults against journalists and media persons, calling the security forces to respect the journalism work, right to reach out the sources, and cover incidents that take place in the country.