Iraqi journalist sentenced in Al-Maliki defamation case

Shafaq News- Baghdad

An Iraqi court sentenced journalist and political analyst Salam Adel to four months in prison, suspended for three years, in a public defamation case involving State of Law Coalition leader and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a source told Shafaq News on Sunday.

The Al-Karkh Misdemeanor Court also ordered Adel to deposit 200,000 Iraqi dinars (about $154) with the court. The source did not disclose the statements that formed the basis of the defamation case.

In May 2025, Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission suspended Adel from media appearances for three months over content it described as inciting violence and hatred.

Read more: Silenced voices: The treacherous reality for journalists in Iraq