Iraqis protest govt clampdown on free speech

[sabra]

Source: al arabiya

Hundreds of Iraqis took to the streets on Friday to protest moves by the government to control the flow of information both in print and online, which has raised fears of a crackdown on free speech reminiscent of the regime of ex-dictator Saddam Hussein.

Some 200 Journalists, writers and booksellers demonstrated in Baghdad's Mutanabi Street in opposition of a governement decision to screen imported books that incite sectarianism and ban websites deemed pornographic or that encourage crimes such as bomb making, prostitution and "terrorism."

Intellectuals said they worried such moves were a sign that the years of freer expression could be coming to an end and journalists worried a new draft legislation being mulled leaves them exposed to government interference in their profession.

"Blocking internet websites and censoring books is a new dictatorship," said Muhammad al-Rubaie, a human rights activist.

"They want to stop the free word from unveiling corruption. We will work in parliament to cancel any censorship that limits the freedom of expression," the head of Iraq's Integrity Commission in parliament, Sabah al-Saedi, said.

Read more: http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/08/14/81779.html

[atreides1]

1. The Best Democracy...

....that our blood and treasure purchased.

[asjr]

2. The new Iraq has become the old Iraq.

And we were damn fools!

[BOG PERSON]

3. Not really.

The old Iraq had electricity and indoor plumbing and hospitals and all that good stuff.