The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the killing of Soran Mama Hama, a reporter for the Kurdish-language magazine Leven, who was shot dead in the northern city of Kirkuk.

According to reports, Hama was likely targeted for his reporting on corruption.

"This latest killing underscores the danger that journalists still face in Iraq. They are in the firing line because they live in a country convulsed by strife and conflict, but they are even more at risk when they are targeted in retaliation for their reporting," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White.

The IFJ is supporting calls from its affiliate, the Kurdish Journalists' Syndicate, for the authorities to investigate the killing and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The IFJ has also joined its Iraqi affiliates in pushing the government to enact more legislation to protect threatened journalists and to investigate all killings of media workers.

"This is another casualty to add to the already appalling total of media deaths," said White. "It is now time for the Iraqi government to show that it means what it says when it says it will not tolerate any impunity in the murder of journalists and other vulnerable civilians." 

At least 286 media workers have been killed in Iraq since the US invasion in 2003.

For more information contact the IFJ at +32 2 235 2207

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide