Iraq replaces state media head
The Supreme Administrative Court of Iraq reinstated Fadl Farajallah, former head of the Iraqi Media Network (IMN), on May 31, annulling the appointment of the network’s current president, Nabil Jasem. Iraq’s next elections are slated for October 2021 and deep differences plague the various political blocs, which are fighting to control the state media.
Jasem took up his post as the network’s CEO on July 19, 2020. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadimi asked him to preserve the IMN’s independence and to make it the voice of the Iraqis rather than a mouthpiece for the government.
According to the law, the IMN is an independent body supervised by a board of trustees whose members are chosen by parliament. But since its establishment following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, the IMN has been effectively under the authority of the prime minister’s office while the various political parties vy to control it.
Jasem told Al-Monitor, “The IMN is the official public broadcasting institution. It was affiliated with the Dawa Party headed by Prime Minster Nour al-Maliki, and his party continued to control it even after he left office in 2014. He added, “The Dawa Party is seeking to retake control of the IMN through the administrative court system before the October 2021 parliamentary elections, to use the network’s print and audio-visual media in electoral propaganda.”
Meanwhile, Hisham al-Rikabi, the spokesman for the State of Law Coalition, told Al-Monitor, “The administrative court’s decision cannot be described as politically motivated because it reinstated the IMN’s former president Fadl Farajallah, who was dismissed by the Board of Trustees without any legal ground. He was elected for four years and then was removed 16 months into his term.”
“The court’s decision was made on clear legal grounds,” he added.
Rikabi went on to say, “Contrary to what is rumored, the court faced pressure because it is no longer a secret that Farajallah’s opponents belong to currently influential parties controlling the state, in addition to their affiliated armed militias. The court did not give in and made its decision objectively.”
Retired judge Tariq Har told Al-Monitor, “The administrative dourt deemed the decision to dismiss Fadl Farajallah illegal. The court’s decision did not provide for replacing Nabil Jasem but only annulled his appointment. Jasem can appeal the decision if he wishes.”
Alaa al-Hattab, a member of the board of trustees, told Al-Monitor, “The IMN is now much less affected by the political conflict, and enjoys a good margin of freedom in reporting compared to previous years.”
Commenting on whether the network could be used for political motives in the upcoming elections, Hattab said, “The IMN’s role in the elections will be to raise awareness on the need to vote and to allow all candidates to present their resumes.”
The power-sharing between the different political parties in Iraq has become so entrenched that ministries and other important state institutions are named after the parties that run them. On July 8, parliament stressed the “need not to interfere with the board’s decisions that are line with IMN law.”
The Iraqi Media Network has been always at the center of conflict between the political parties due to its broad influence on the Iraqi public, and it’s a constant struggle to maintain its independence and not follow the governments that change every legislative period.