The Censorship on Iraq Publication from 1869 – 1939

Abstract

During seventy years, from 1869; the year in which the first Iraqi newspaper (Al-Zawraa) was issued till 1939; the outbreak of World War II, three Laws of Publications with its amendments, many decrees, instructions, and orders were issued by the authorities which ruled Iraq during that period. All these laws, however, were oppressive and restrictive to the freedom of press in its contents, despite the fact that these authorities were different (Ottoman, British occupation forces and Iraqi monarchy). Applying these laws resulted in disabling and closure of many newspapers, punishing and imprisoning of journalists, chasing and exiling other journalists because of their newspapers' attitudes which were against the policy of the successive authorities and which embodied what was written and published at that time. Consequently, this is what had a negative impact on the Iraqi press.