An Iraqi government plan to impose restrictive rules on  news media represents an alarming return to authoritarianism, the Committee to Protect Journalists has warned.

CPJ denounced the rules – which call for news organisations to disclose staff lists and identify sources if complaints are made about stories –  and called on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his government to abandon their repressive plan.
CPJ’s review of the plan found rules that fall well short of international standards for freedom of expression and that appear to contravene the Iraqi constitution, which provides for a free press. The new rules would effectively impose government licensing of journalists and media outlets, a tool that authoritarian governments worldwide have long used to censor the news.
“The regulations suggest either a lack of understanding of the news media’s role in a democratic society, or a deliberate attempt to suppress information and stifle opposing views,” said CPJ‎ executive director Joel Simon. “Either way, the rules should be rescinded immediately so that the media can do its job free of government intimidation.”