The Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq, an Iraqi media freedom watchdog, has expressed concerns over an attack against the Baghdad-based newspaper “Al Sabah Al Jaded,” after publishing a caricature of the Iranian regime’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei on February 6.

The Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq issued a statement on February 10 condemning the attack. The statement quoted newspaper’s editor, Ismail Zaye, as saying that the author of the caricature, Ahmad al-Rubaie, had received threats from armed groups.

The Chairman of the Press group, Uday Hatem , has called for action to deter armed groups through bringing to justice those involved in such attacks.

It is a common knowledge in Iraq that those who criticize the Iranian regime receive death threats, become victims of abductions, torture, bombing and assassinations by the Iranian regime linked armed groups that enjoy the support of Nouri Maliki government.

Reporters Without Borders condemned the bomb attack on the Al-Sabah Al-Jadid newspaper for publishing the cartoon of Ali Khamenei.

“Targeting a newspaper in this manner is unacceptable,” Reporters Without Borders said.

“After being alerted by the newspaper’s management the day before the bombing, the authorities should have taken the necessary measures to protect its premises and staff, and to make it clear to the demonstrators that there was nothing illegal about the cartoon,” RWB said.