Allawi accuses al-Jazeera of violating its work embargo in Iraq

The Iraqi interim prime minister Eyad Allawi renewed his criticism against al-Jazeera TV and accused it in his recent statement of violating the law that provides for banning it from working in Iraq.

In an interview with "al-Arabia" TV, Allawi said that al-Jazeera still practices its work on the Iraqi territories despite the embargo imposed on it. He threatened to take measures against workers in al-Jazeera, according to enacted national safety laws applied in Iraq.

The interim Iraqi government closed al-Jazeera office in Baghdad by the beginning of August and then extended the embargo until an undetermined time because of what it described as "al-Jazeera did not give written explanations on reasons behind being hostile to the Iraqi people and their national government," according to a statement issued by the ministerial committee for national security in Iraq, issued then.

Then, al-Jazeera expressed its regret over the decision of the Iraqi government for closing its office in Baghdad. A statement by al-Jazeera to this effect described the decision as contradictory to promises given by the interim Iraqi government over its aim to maintain openness and consolidate principles of the freedom of the press and expression.