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Members of the Special Investigative Unit of the Iraqi Police Service
today closed the offices of Al Mustaqila newspaper, and took into custody the newspaper’s
office manager. Al Mustaqila newspaper published on 13 July a clearly inciteful article
entitled “Death to all spies and those who cooperate with the US; killing them
is religious duty”. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) supports and encourages the
development of a free and responsible Iraqi press. Most new Iraqi newspapers, free to publish for the first time
without government editorial control, are doing so responsibly, and in a manner
which supports the development of freedom and democracy in Iraq. However, al Mustiqila newspaper has chosen to threaten the basic human
rights of Iraqi citizens, especially the right to life and the right to live
without fear or threat. The CPA and the
Iraqi Police Service therefore judged that al Mustaqila poses a significant
security threat to Iraqi citizens, placing it in violation of international
humanitarian law, as well as in breach of CPA Order no 14 (“Towards a free
Iraqi press”). The head of the Special Investigative Unit, Brigadier-General Ahmed
Ibrahim, said immediately after the arrest: “The Iraqi Police Service will not
tolerate behaviour on the part of any individual, group or movement that
incites violence directed at any Iraqi citizen, government employee or the coalition
forces. This type of activity is a
violation of the law and the Iraqi Police Service will simply not tolerate
it. We will take swift action to
investigate and bring to justice those who are involved in this type of
subversive action.”
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