UN urges cessation of violence against Iraqi journalists

The UN Mission Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), marking the World Press Freedom Day Friday, called for cessation of violence and threats against media organizations and journalists in Iraq. Martin Kobler, Secretary General's special representative for Iraq, termed as "unacceptable" that journalists in Iraq were risking their lives because they were only doing their job. Kobler, who heads UNAMI, said freedom of expression and democracy are two sides of the same coin, one could not exist without the other. He said freedom of expression was one of the major principles of human rights. Kobler said Iraq needed free press in order to exercise the right to express without fear. He also said press and media means should commit to code of ethics. The head of UNESCO's office in Iraq called for allowing the press to work without threats or arbitrary arrests. The UN called on the Iraqi information and communication authority to reconsider its decision to suspend lisences of a number of TV channels.