Two Iraqi journalists arrested for allegedly stealing a notepad belonging to the country's defense minister were freed on Thursday in a case that sparked criticism from press freedom activists.
Mohammed Fuad and Afdhal Jumaa were arrested on June 4 and accused of having stolen Saadun al-Dulaimi's notepad after a June 1 meeting of political leaders.
The meeting had been convened to ease tensions and break a long-standing deadlock that has paralyzed lawmaking and contributed to a spike in violence in the country.
"Iraqi authorities have released the journalists who found the notebook of Saadun al-Dulaimi and were accused of stealing it," said Muayad al-Lami, head of the Iraqi Journalists' Syndicate.
Lami said Dulaimi had dropped the charges against the pair.
Defense ministry officials accused them of wilfully stealing the notepad, but activists and family members insisted the two found the book after the meeting and handed it to an official who failed to return it.
Mohammed Fuad and Afdhal Jumaa were arrested on June 4 and accused of having stolen Saadun al-Dulaimi's notepad after a June 1 meeting of political leaders.
The meeting had been convened to ease tensions and break a long-standing deadlock that has paralyzed lawmaking and contributed to a spike in violence in the country.
"Iraqi authorities have released the journalists who found the notebook of Saadun al-Dulaimi and were accused of stealing it," said Muayad al-Lami, head of the Iraqi Journalists' Syndicate.
Lami said Dulaimi had dropped the charges against the pair.
Defense ministry officials accused them of wilfully stealing the notepad, but activists and family members insisted the two found the book after the meeting and handed it to an official who failed to return it.
