Iraq's parliament speaker Mahmud al-Mashhadani confirmed Monday that the government ordered the Baghdad offices of Dubai-based satellite channel Al-Arabiya closed for one month because of its reporting on a proposed regional autonomy law.
The cabinet shut the bureau on Thursday, objecting to what it called biased coverage. Mashhadani defended the action, saying the prime minister holds parliament's authority to suspend media outlets during the current period of unrest. Officials also warned of tighter oversight of local print publications to ease sectarian tensions.
The disputed draft legislation, introduced by the dominant Shiite alliance, would permit Shiite communities in southern Iraq to form an autonomous region comparable to the existing Kurdish zone in the north. A parliamentary reading of the bill was postponed to 19 September after resistance from Sunni lawmakers, members of Moqtada al-Sadr's movement, and the secular party of former premier Iyad Allawi.
The closure drew criticism from international press freedom groups. The US State Department urged the Iraqi government to favor press freedom and free expression, spokesman Seth McCormack said.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.