Baghdad forces beat AKnews reporter

[silkysand]

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/3/273128/



Baghdad, Nov.18 (AKnews)- Three members of the Iraqi security forces beat up AKnews photographer and reporter, Walid al-Zaydi, today after he covered a protest in Baghdad.

The reporter said when he was done with taking photos from a demonstration in Tahrir Square of Baghdad which was in support of giving regional autonomy to provinces; he went on foot to Saadun Street.

Zaidi said three armed men in civilian clothing blocked his way, grabbed him into a lane, and away from the eyes of protesters, they asked for the reason of his presence in the demonstration.

"I showed them my work ID but the three men, whom I suppose were from intelligence, started to hit me, confiscated my camera and recorder, deleted all the memory and broke my recorder."

They justified the beating by saying that "I did not obtain permission from Baghdad Operations Command for covering the event. But I, like others, go to Tahrir Square every Friday for covering the protests without taking any permission."

Only when a lieutenant arrives at the scene, the force returned AKnews reporter's equipments "and asked me to leave the place at once."

By Abdullah Sabri

[Guest]

Sound fimiliar, so much for their Constitution. The Iraq Gov. is just turning into the DICTATOR! No different than here in the US.

[Goldmember]

......welcome to post-US Iraq.......watch the media get overhauled too on their steady march back to the status of third world, with only one really really rich guy "leader."