The editor of Iraq's Al-Sabah Newspaper, Tawfik al-Tamimi, was abducted while on his to way to his job in Baghdad.
A statement by the Iraqi Media Network said Tamimi was abducted outside his house Monday morning by an armed group that interrupted him while he was driving his car. The statement added that Tamimi was taken to an unknown destination.
The network denounced this act saying it contradicts basic human rights in maintaining life and the freedom of expression. It demanded that the security bodies bear responsibility in following up with the issue and protecting journalists from such practices.
The statement didn’t reveal any details concerning the reasons behind kidnapping Tamimi, but some journalists attributed it to his critique of the authorities via Facebook and his support to protests.
Earlier, Tamimi called for releasing Iraqi publisher and writer Mazen Latif who was abducted before 37 days. He posted a picture of himself along with Latif and wrote that 36 days have already passed since his painful absence.
The Journalistic Freedoms Observatory (JFO) demanded that Iraqi authorities run investigations to figure out the fate of Tamimi.
Journalists at Al-Sabah reported that armed members stopped the abductee's car and took him by force to an unknown place, according to the JFO.
Despite repetitive kidnap incidents against activists and journalists, the Iraqi security authorities didn’t issue any clarifications regarding the nature of these acts, their causes, and the parties standing behind them.
