Iraqi lawmakers, activists call for communications minister to resign over insults to journalists

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi lawmakers and social media users are demanding the resignation of Communications Minister Mustafa Sinad after he made personal insults against journalists and analysts who criticized his statements on removing zeros from the Iraqi dinar. Screenshots circulating on social media showed messages, attributed to accounts linked to Sinad, that were described as containing insults directed at journalist Muntathir al-Zubaidi. Other critics, including journalist Fadil Abu Righaifa and analyst Muhammad Na'na, condemned the minister for turning political disputes into personal attacks. A separate post in which Sinad appeared to request information about a critic, in what critics described as preparation for a formal notice, further fueled the controversy. Activist Enes Mahmud al-Sheikh publicly called on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani to dismiss Sinad from his post. The dispute has raised broader questions about the standards of conduct expected of senior officials when faced with public criticism and the protection of state institutions' reputation. No immediate response from the minister or the prime minister's office was reported.