Journalistic freedoms observatory (JFO) astonishes banning the journalists to cover the inauguration of Iraqi museum.

Al-Hurra reporter, Ahmed Arram, told the JFO that the guards of Prime Minister Noori al-Maliki banned the reporters entering the museum, but allowed only the team of the Iraqi satellite channel to live coverage of the inauguration.

He added that their efforts to know the reasons of banning were fruitless despite their having official invitations from the ministry of tourism.

It is worth mentioning that Prime Minister al-Maliki has earlier-in 2008- issued a declaration directing all the guards and elements of the interior and defense ministries to respect the work of the journalists and to punish those who abuse them.

JFO asks those concerned to stop the unjustified violation against the journalists referring to the dangerous consequences of such practices on the freedom of press and media in Iraq.