INA - LIVE UPDATES
UNESCO announced on Monday, launching the second phase of the project "Breaking the Silence" to protect journalists in Iraq while confirming the work of journalists contracts and linking it to the Ministry of Labor.
"UNESCO in Iraq, set up in cooperation with the media and communications, and with the participation of the Supreme Judicial Council and the Interior Ministry, a workshop (Breaking the Silence) to strengthen government accountability and judicial follow-ups to protect journalists and the fight against impunity in its second phase," said the reporter of the Iraqi News Agency - INA.
A program of communication and information to the UNESCO Director in Iraq D Serail, in a speech during the workshop, said that "the second phase of the project to break the silence to strengthen government accountability and improve judicial procedures for the protection of journalists and the fight against impunity for the second phase has been launched, funded by the Dutch government."
"We will work to strengthen the criminal investigations to solve and evidence skills of journalists as well as previous files. Af the same time, we promote investigative unity of owned institution of the Interior to follow up journalists and attacks cases against them," he included, ointing out that "we will work with the Operations Command and the Office of the General Commander of the Armed Forces to remove all obstacles facing journalists in the field of official documents and authorizations in addition to the media and communication as we will seek to reduce wages of broadcast transmitter and debt settlement."
In turn, audio-visual department director for the media and communications Hussein Zamil, said in a speech during the workshop, that "the Commission has worked in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior to facilitate the work of journalists as well as assign a number when a journalist to pressure," explaining that "the Commission has worked for two years to submit reports on impunity for journalists and reports that made Iraq in advanced stages within the international classification with respect to freedom of expression and protection of journalists."
"There is coordination between the Media, the Journalists 'Syndicate and international organizations to find a space in which the journalist moves freely and smoothly, to enhance as well the lasting cooperation between the press and security men and the Judicial Council for protection," he noted.
The representative of the Supreme Judicial Council, Iyad Muhsin Dhamaf said in a speech during the workshop, that "the Supreme Judicial Council is keen to attend all the workshops belonging to the press and media," adding that "the protection that should be enjoyed by journalists are in two directions, the legal protection which requires a legal system to provide the work of journalists protection from the environment and security risks pushing for the prosecution and follow-up to each person who provides information and functions as well as the legal system must succeed in delivering punishment against anyone trying to inflict harm on the journalist."
For his part, Director General of Relations and Information if the Ministry of the Interior and the ead of Security Media Cell - SMC, Major General Saad Maan said in a speech during the workshop, that "the Ministry of Interior and SMC are continuing to support all journalists to facilitate their work," pointing out that "We participated with the media and UNESCO to facilitate the work of journalists."
"Iraq today is different from what was previously in terms of freedom of expression and it is not a low level, but we need to re-order the data," he noted.