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Alert

RSF concerned over arrest of woman journalist by Iraqi security forces

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has called for the immediate release of Khalchan Al Bayati, a contributor to the Arabic-language daily "Al Hayat" and critic of the US occupation, who was arrested at her home in Tikrit on the night of 11 September 2006 by Iraqi security forces and was taken to an unknown location.

"We are very worried by Bayati's arrest, especially as we have no information about the reason or where she is being held," the press freedom organisation said. "Iraqi journalists have to work in extremely difficult conditions. More than 100 have been killed in the past three years. It is shocking to see them also being targeted by the security forces, who are supposed to protect them. We call on interior minister Jawad Al Bolany to intervene and get her released immediately."

Bayati, who has been a contributor to "Al Hayat" for several years, has on several occasions condemned the US occupation of Iraq in her articles.

Reached by Reporters Without Borders, an Iraqi official who asked not to be identified confirmed that Bayati had been detained but he did not know where she had been taken and did not specify the reason for her arrest.

Many journalists have reported that the Iraqi security forces have become much more aggressive towards the media in recent weeks.

Twelve journalists were arrested while covering peaceful demonstrations in the Sulaimaniya region (in the Kurdish north) in August, and in some cases they were held for several hours and their photographic equipment was destroyed (see IFEX alert of 17 August 2006). An Associated Press correspondent was also banned from covering these demonstrations.

A total of 104 journalists and media assistants have been killed since the start of the war in 2003, while two are missing and three are currently held hostage.