Iraqi Authorities Close Independent Channel and Jail Journalist Director

August 5, 2025 – Iraq –

The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Iraqi authorities to reverse the three‑year prison sentence imposed on Ali Al‑Dhabhawi, director and presenter of Al‑Baghdadia TV. He was convicted under Articles 230 and 430 of the Iraqi Penal Code, including charges of assaulting a police colonel and threatening a civilian at a medical complex, allegedly using his influence as a journalist to intimidate others. 

The sentencing came after Iraqi security forces raided the broadcaster’s Baghdad headquarters and Al‑Dhabhawi’s home on July 31, shortly after Al‑Dhabhawi criticised the National Intelligence Service on his current‑affairs program “Al‑Tasea.” Six other journalists present during the raid were arrested and charged with “disturbing the authorities.” They were released on bail the following day but remain under legal scrutiny.

Following the raid, authorities ordered the shutdown of Al‑Baghdadia TV, seizing nearly all operational equipment. Employees and staff witnesses reported widespread fear, with many going into hiding amid the crackdown.

CPJ’s Levant program coordinator, Doja Daoud, condemned both the closure and the director’s trial as constituting “a deeply alarming escalation” in government efforts to silence independent and critical media. She said that the actions represent a broader pattern of suppressing dissent through raids, arrests, and criminal charges against journalists under dubious legal pretexts.

Al‑Baghdadia TV, an Iraqi‑owned Arabic‑language network headquartered in Cairo and Baghdad, previously faced shutdowns in 2012 and 2016. It is known for airing popular interactive programs like Al‑Baghdadia Wa El Nas, which offers Iraqi citizens a platform to speak directly to public officials and discuss corruption and social ills.

The forcible closure of Al‑Baghdadia TV and the imprisonment of its leadership raise serious red flags about press freedom in Iraq. CPJ is urging authorities to restore the station’s broadcasting license, drop charges against its staff, and allow journalists to operate without fear of intimidation or reprisal. They emphasised that targeting media professionals for exercising free speech undermines democratic norms and public accountability.

References –

https://cpj.org/2025/08/iraqi-authorities-shutter-al-baghdadia-tv-jail-director-for-3-years/