Saad Al-Awsi was detained due to an article he published criticising deals that Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki had allegedly struck in order to secure his position.
(RSF/IFEX) – 18 August 2011 – Reporters Without Borders is relieved to learn that Saad Al-Awsi, the editor of the Baghdad-based weekly Al-Shahid, was released yesterday after 16 months in detention. He is to receive medical treatment abroad before he resumes editing the newspaper.
Al-Awsi was arrested by members of the security forces during a search of his home on 14 April 2010. The raid was prompted by an article in the newspaper criticizing deals that Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki had allegedly struck in order to secure his position.
