Iraqi TV host denies arrest reports at Baghdad airport

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi television presenter Revif al-Hafiz dismissed reports that he was detained by intelligence officers at Baghdad International Airport, calling the accounts inaccurate. Al-Hafiz said he was stopped by intelligence personnel on his return from Egypt, where he had been pursuing a doctorate in international law. He told Shafaq News that the inquiry concerned an old case linked to his broadcasting program and did not amount to an arrest. The matter was referred to a court, which ruled in his favor, he added. The presenter said the airport encounter was limited to a routine information-gathering procedure tied to the earlier file. He urged the public to disregard the arrest claims circulating on social media, reiterating that no detention took place at the airport. No further details on the underlying case or the court's ruling were immediately available.