An Iraqi group advocating for the freedom of journalists said in its report for this year that the country remains dangerous for those working in the press, especially in the northern Kurdistan region.
In a report published on its website under the title "No Cities are Safe for Journalists," the The Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq (PFAA) recorded at least 233 cases where journalists were attacked across the country.
It said the current year "did not differ from previous years in recording high numbers of violations recorded against the freedom of journalism work in Iraq."
These cases included assassinations, kidnappings, armed attacked against individuals and media institutions, death threats, injuries, pressure through lawsuits, arrest warrants, detention, beatings, the shuttering of media institutions and sacking journalists, and more.
Most of these cases were recorded in November, which coincided with student protests in Kurdish cities in northern Iraq, where at least 40 violations were registered.
The association said the capital Baghdad still witnessed the most violations, followed by the autonomous Kurdistan region, then the city of Kirkuk.
Many have fled their homes since the protests which rocked the country in October 2019, the PFAA said.
Iraq has been unstable for decades, reeling under a multitude of conflicts and crises.