Iraq sets up commission to monitor hate speech and sectarian content

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Media Security Organization has established a specialized commission to monitor hate speech and publications carrying ethnic or sectarian content, the organization said in a statement. The body will oversee such material within a legal framework with the stated aim of safeguarding social peace and reinforcing stability. The commission will be chaired by the Media Security and Public Relations Organization, which operates under the Office of the Chief of Staff. It has been tasked with identifying content that incites sectarian or ethnic hatred or seeks to disrupt public harmony, and with pursuing the required legal action. Representatives of the Interior Ministry, the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, the National Security Service and the Information Operations Center will take part, alongside technical units attached to various security agencies. The statement stressed that strengthening monitoring and tracking mechanisms against hate speech and incitement is important for public safety and stability.