Journalist kidnapped and murdered in land of impunity

The body of Kamal Qassim Mohamed, the deputy editor of the magazine Al-Mustaqila, was found in Baghdad yesterday, six days after his abduction by gunmen. He had been shot. His killers have not been identified. “The authorities have a duty to shed light on Kamal Qassim Mohamed’s murder,” Reporters Without Borders said. “A proper investigation must be carried out and those responsible must be identified and given a fair trial before a criminal court.” Mohamed’s death has again highlighted the need for legislation to protect journalists. Iraq became by far the world’s deadliest country for journalists after the US-led invasion in March 2003. At least 114 Iraqi journalists have been the victims of targeted murders in the past seven years. In many cases, they were killed after being kidnapped. In almost all these cases, the murderers have not been identified.