The day of August 29, 2022, ended with many violations against journalists carrying out their obligations to their organizations and society and reporting the truth about what was happening on the ground despite the intense heat and potential dangers.

JFO documented some of the violent attacks carried out by government security forces or other forces against many journalists, including beatings, arrests, equipment destruction, and confiscation, and forcing journalists to delete the content of their cameras.

The nature of the current developments portends more on-the-ground activities like demonstrations, sit-ins, and other activities. These activities always call for accompanying journalists and their presence for coverage, but this shouldn't result in an increase in casualties or wounded.

JFO calls on all government security forces and others to respect journalists' right to report on events and to understand the value of documenting events through press teams. The call is directed at Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, Minister of Interior Othman Al-Ghanimi, Minister of Defense Jumaa Inad, and the rest of the senior commanders to direct Members of the field forces in the districts concerned to stop the usual dealings with journalists.

Preventing professional journalists and specialized media organizations from covering an event will never contribute to obscuring what is happening. Instead, it will contribute to allowing the public and bystanders to take over the task of reporting events without adopting journalistic standards, which may contribute to misinformation and backfire against the authorities that prevented journalists from coverage.