Two journalists murdered in Baghdad, a third kidnapped in Kirkuk

Reporters Without Borders has learned of the death of two journalists in Baghdad, bringing to 152 the number of media personnel murdered in Iraq since the start of the conflict in March 2003. A journalist has also been kidnapped in the northern town of Kirkuk. Mohan Hussein al-Dhahr, 49, editor of the daily al-Mishrak, was killed in a botched kidnap outside his home in the al-Jami'a district in the east of Baghdad on 4 March. The kidnappers shot him dead as he tried to escape them, hitting him several times, including six times in the head. Mohan Hussein al-Dhahr previously worked for the dailies al-Irak and al-Yakadha, before joining al-Mishrak four years ago. The bullet-riddled body of journalist Jamal Riyah Al Zoubaidi, was found on 3 March in the Al ‘amil district in south-east of the capital. He went missing after leaving the offices of his newspaper As-Safir on 23 February. He is the 16th abducted journalist to have been killed. “Thirteen journalists and media assistants have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of 2007, twice as many as the previous year at the same point. Media personnel not only have to avoid the risks linked to working in a war zone but also face the risk of murder and kidnapping in their daily lives,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “Despite their promises and plans to make major cities safer, the Iraqi authorities have so far shown themselves incapable of stemming the violence against the press,” it added. In another case, police in the city of Kirkuk, 250 kilometres north of Baghdad, said that journalist Talal Hashim Birkdar, 50, had been snatched on 3 March by men wearing Iraqi Army uniforms. He ran the daily al Akhaa, the organ of the party of the same name representing Iraq's Turkmen minority. He also contributed to the weekly al-Diyar. Some 63 journalists have been abducted since the start of the conflict, nine of whom are still being held hostage.