The warning was prompted by remarks al-Sheikh made Sunday evening on “Ma’a Mulla Talal,” a program aired on satellite channel UTV, in which he said: “Iran is the crown of every Iraqi’s head,” News.Az reports, citing Shafaq news.
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The Commission ruled that the statement fell under the category of incitement to violence and hatred and issued the formal warning on that basis.
Last March, the CMC also issued a warning to the UTV channel over content aired in the same program.
According to the Iraqi Association for Defending Press Freedom, the Commission suspended five political television programs, fined three media outlets, warned two Arab broadcasters, and restricted 18 media figures between Dec. 1 and May 31. It described the measures as “unconstitutional,” criticizing CMC’s head for “granting himself powers to issue suspension, blocking, and financial penalty decisions.”
