Security Forces Storming Journalists Union in Diwaniyah

Shafaq News/ Iraqi security forces has purportedly stormed the headquarters of the Journalists' Union in Diwaniyah, seizing control of the site for several hours, al-Nakheel Center for press freedom reported on Tuesday.

In the early house of the day, the security forces stormed the building in which was slated to be officially inaugurated this week.

The officers justified their actions, suggesting they had prior claims to the premises, al-Nakheel said.

In their account, local journalists insisted that the building is under the jurisdiction of the Finance Ministry and the Journalists' Union's procedural claims were wholly lawful.

They noted that the security force temporarily withdrew following intervention from the police and a sit-in protest staged by journalists near the headquarters.

The journalists expressed bewilderment over such conduct and the absence of an official stance from the security body to which the offending force belonged.

Al-Nakheel Center branded these actions as being "outside the framework of the state and the law."

The media watchdog added that it would have been more fitting for the security authorities to resort to legal and administrative procedures if it had any claim on this location, instead of invading an official union headquarters using armed force.

The center implicated the Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, holding them accountable for these practices that tarnish the reputation of the armed forces, "that have offered sacrifices and provided protection and support for journalists."

"The actions of the security forces are a stark deviation from the democratic norms we strive to uphold," said a representative from al-Nakheel Center.

"The attempted seizure of the union building underscores the urgency of a robust legal framework to protect journalists and their organizations from such unwarranted intrusions."