Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, July 2, 2025—Iraqi authorities must immediately end their unexplained shutdown and suspension of the privately owned Iraq AlHadath news broadcaster in Baghdad and ensure that media outlets can operate freely and independently, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. 

“The shutdown of Iraq AlHadath without transparent justification represents a troubling move against press freedom in Iraq,” said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s regional director. “We urge Iraqi authorities to reconsider this action and reaffirm their commitment to a free and independent press, in which journalists can report without intimidation or interference.”

On July 1, a joint security team consisting of interior ministry, Iraqi national security service, and communications and media commission members raided the channel’s headquarters. They ordered staff to halt their broadcast and close the office, citing a court decision ordering the closure that was shown to the outlet’s management, according to two Iraq AlHadath employees and a reporter, all of whom requested anonymity, as well as multiple news reports.

“We expect to restart the broadcast next week,” one of the outlet’s staff members said.

Two officials from Iraq AlHadath told CPJ they believe the move was politically motivated, citing the channel’s coverage of several sensitive topics, including financial and administrative corruption.

Following the shutdown, Iraq AlHadath aired an on-screen message reading, “Broadcast has been temporarily suspended” alongside its slogan, “The Platform of Free Iraq.” The channel’s website and social media accounts also ceased publishing content under the order.

Iraq AlHadath was launched earlier this year. It is owned by Sheikh Bilal Al-Maliki — a young Iraqi businessman, political activist, and tribal leader of the Bani Malik tribe. 

CPJ reached out to Haider Nadhem, spokesperson for Iraq’s communications and media commission, and Brig. Gen. Muqdad Miri, director of media and public relations at the interior ministry, but received no response.

This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by Committee to Protect Journalists.

This post was originally published on Radio Free.