.Iraq backs down from election code requirement
BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq has lifted a requirement that journalists must sign a binding code of conduct to cover key events in the upcoming provincial elections after a flood of complaints, an official said Sunday.
Critics claimed the threat of punishment for reports perceived as unfair could undermine independent coverage of Iraq's first election in three years. The vote is expected to redistribute power among Iraq's ethnic and religious groups.
The 14-page document, which was part of the application for accreditation from Iraq's High Electoral Commission, required that reports be balanced and unbiased and prohibited media from falsifying or misrepresenting information.
It also banned coverage of candidates and political campaigns for two days before the Jan. 31 vote. Punishment for violations ranged from warnings to thousands of dollars in fines and the threat to revoke a media organization's license.
Commission chief Faraj al-Haidari told The Associated Press that the code was being removed from the application after the panel received numerous complaints.
"We invite all journalists to come forward and receive badges issued by the commission without needing to sign the code," he said.
Al-Haidari called the flap a misunderstanding and said the commission was only trying to help ensure fair coverage of the elections in a country without a tradition of independent media.
"The aim behind the regulations was only to protect and help journalists in covering the elections in an objective way. We never intended to interfere in the work of the journalists or limit their space of work," he said.
The rules were drafted by a government commission that oversees domestic broadcasters at the request of the independent Iraqi High Electoral Commission.
"Governments around the world are constantly exhorting broadcast media to provide responsible and balanced coverage," said Robert Mahoney, the deputy director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. "But in reality it's a thinly veiled attempt to control the news."
The Iraqi Journalists' Union also complained to the electoral commission that the rules violated the media's right to cover the elections freely.
"The commission is supposed to give the Iraqi, Arab and foreign journalists the freedom to cover any event without official interference," said the head of the union Mouyyad al-Lami.
Media analysts said it was a good idea to promote fair coverage in a country where most political parties operate their own newspapers and television stations.
But they said official institutions should not be defining the responsibility of journalists and a legally binding code jeopardized the integrity of professional, independent media.
Electoral officials had said the heads of polling stations around the country would be able to confiscate credentials of journalists accused of violating the code. The case would then be reported to the electoral commission for investigation.
Foreign officials working with the commission said privately that they were trying to get it removed.
This month's vote will be the first nationwide election fully controlled by the Iraqis since the fall of Saddam Hussein following the March 2003 U.S. invasion. Previous votes were largely directed by the Americans, who have since shifted to an advisory role.
MyWay
I told you, they need us more than we need them.
There is no such thing as "fair media", there is just media.
Critics claimed the threat of punishment for reports perceived as unfair could undermine independent coverage of Iraq's first election in three years. The vote is expected to redistribute power among Iraq's ethnic and religious groups.
The 14-page document, which was part of the application for accreditation from Iraq's High Electoral Commission, required that reports be balanced and unbiased and prohibited media from falsifying or misrepresenting information.
It also banned coverage of candidates and political campaigns for two days before the Jan. 31 vote. Punishment for violations ranged from warnings to thousands of dollars in fines and the threat to revoke a media organization's license.
Commission chief Faraj al-Haidari told The Associated Press that the code was being removed from the application after the panel received numerous complaints.
"We invite all journalists to come forward and receive badges issued by the commission without needing to sign the code," he said.
Al-Haidari called the flap a misunderstanding and said the commission was only trying to help ensure fair coverage of the elections in a country without a tradition of independent media.
"The aim behind the regulations was only to protect and help journalists in covering the elections in an objective way. We never intended to interfere in the work of the journalists or limit their space of work," he said.
The rules were drafted by a government commission that oversees domestic broadcasters at the request of the independent Iraqi High Electoral Commission.
"Governments around the world are constantly exhorting broadcast media to provide responsible and balanced coverage," said Robert Mahoney, the deputy director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. "But in reality it's a thinly veiled attempt to control the news."
The Iraqi Journalists' Union also complained to the electoral commission that the rules violated the media's right to cover the elections freely.
"The commission is supposed to give the Iraqi, Arab and foreign journalists the freedom to cover any event without official interference," said the head of the union Mouyyad al-Lami.
Media analysts said it was a good idea to promote fair coverage in a country where most political parties operate their own newspapers and television stations.
But they said official institutions should not be defining the responsibility of journalists and a legally binding code jeopardized the integrity of professional, independent media.
Electoral officials had said the heads of polling stations around the country would be able to confiscate credentials of journalists accused of violating the code. The case would then be reported to the electoral commission for investigation.
Foreign officials working with the commission said privately that they were trying to get it removed.
This month's vote will be the first nationwide election fully controlled by the Iraqis since the fall of Saddam Hussein following the March 2003 U.S. invasion. Previous votes were largely directed by the Americans, who have since shifted to an advisory role.
MyWay
I told you, they need us more than we need them.
There is no such thing as "fair media", there is just media.
posted by madtom at 4:49 PM
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