Iraqi journalists blocked over permit abolished in 2015

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi security forces prevented journalists from covering fuel shortages in Baghdad and confiscated press badges over a permit requirement abolished more than a decade ago, Al-Nakhil Center for Press Rights and Freedoms reported on Friday.

The incident, according to the center, marked the fifth case it has recorded this year involving demands for the former Baghdad Operations Command authorization. The Interior Ministry and Security Media Cell have issued 13 announcements since 2015 confirming that the document is no longer required and that press identification issued by media organizations is sufficient for field reporting.

Al-Nakhil condemned the measures as a violation of press freedom, saying the confiscation of credentials lacked legal grounds and accusing security personnel of disregarding official directives.

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

Iraq ranks 162nd out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 World Press Freedom Index, down from 155th in 2025. The Journalists’ Rights Defense Association documented 182 violations nationwide last year, among them 53 instances of obstructed reporting and 24 equipment seizures, with Baghdad recording the highest number.

During the first half of 2026, Al-Nakhil registered another 59 cases affecting media workers across the country.

Article 38 of Iraq’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, the press, media, and publication, though rights groups, including the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, have repeatedly warned that legal and administrative constraints continue to limit those protections in practice.

Read more: Iraq's press freedom index falls amid record violations