On 20 April 2018, Issa Al-Atwani, a reporter of NRT TV in Babil Governorate in Iraq, was attacked by an unknown group of people.

At 11:30 pm Al-Atwani left his house heading to the city centre of Al-Hillah and after a while he noticed that some people in a four-wheel drive car were following him. Once he slowed down his car to drive over a ramp, they hit his car from behind. When he went out to check out the incident, three individuals exited the car with thick sticks in their hands and started to hit him on his head and face. Al-Atwani lost consciousness temporarily but was able to drive the car to the Republican Hospital when he regained consciousness. He sustained some fractures in his face, nose, and jaw.

Reports confirmed that Al-Atwani filed a complaint with the police but he was forced to record the complaint against unknown individuals, as he did not recognise his assailants.

Al-Atwani has been an active reporter of the NRT TV channel since its establishment in April 2016. He focuses in his reporting on issues that are related to the concerns of the people. Recently he covered in a news report that candidates for the Iraqi elections – taking place next May – put up posters and pictures in the municipality of Hillah without official approval or in prohibited places. It is feared that the attack is related to his recent reports.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) believes that the attack against the journalist represents a flagrant violation of the law, in addition to the fact that the attackers are “unknown,” which puts the lives of all journalists at an imminent risk. The security forces have to do their duty and prevent any attacks on journalists.

GCHR denounces this brutal attack on a journalist, and calls on the government of Iraq to:

1. Conduct an immediate, independent, thorough and impartial investigation into the assault on the NRT TV reporter Issa Al-Atwani and other journalists, with a view to identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice;
2. Enhance the protection of press freedom in Iraqi; and
3. Ensure in all circumstances the ability of all human rights defenders, including journalists in Iraq, to ​​carry out their legitimate human rights work without fear of retaliation and without any restrictions, including judicial harassment.

GCHR respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 09 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to Article 6 (c): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters“, and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.”