Shafaq News-Baghdad
Baghdad policesummoned journalist Salem al-Sheikh on Sunday over a report he publishedcriticizing the after-sales services of Jetour, a Chinese automobile brand,detaining him briefly while bail procedures were completed, an informed sourcetold Shafaq News.
No details hadbeen disclosed regarding the nature of the complaint or the party that filedit.
The IraqiObservatory for Human Rights reported last month a rise in violations againstjournalists, including kidnapping, arrest, assault, and coverage bans, warningof accelerating erosion of press freedom and a persistent absence ofaccountability. Recent weeks, the observatory said, had seen a seriousescalation in frequency, as legal protections weakened and formal and informalrestrictions on the media environment tightened.
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