Shafaq News/ Iraqi Observatory for Press Freedoms called on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to intervene and take immediate action to release the writer and political analyst Mohammed Naanaa, who was arrested by the security authorities in Baghdad on Saturday.
Naanaa was arrested following a lawsuit filed against him earlier. The Observatory said in a statement, "the current conditions and the advanced steps taken by the government on both the local and international levels require a greater effort to support freedom of expression and not to overuse authorities."
The Observatory emphasized the importance of "notifying writers, journalists, and activists to be reassured to support every positive development in the Iraqi situation, which requires the cooperation of efforts and looking towards the future of the country and supporting every step to make this future worthy of the people and their aspirations."
The arrest of Naanaa has raised concerns about the freedom of expression and the press in Iraq. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Iraq 162 out of 180 countries in the 2022 World Press Freedom Index, indicating a significant decline in press freedom. Some deem Naanaa's arrest a setback for Iraq's democracy, which is still fragile after years of conflict and political instability.
The arrest of Naanaa also sparked outrage on social media, with many users demanding his immediate release and calling for the protection of freedom of expression in Iraq.