Freedom of expression is alive and well in liberated Iraq.

An Iraqi court sentenced television journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi to three years in jail for tossing his shoes at then-American president George W. Bush in December. He missed. And everyone knows it was not a physical attack meant to harm, but meant as an act of protest. But the court didn’t care. It convicted him of assault on a foreign leader.

It didn’t matter that the same foreign leader spent 5 years assaulting the country. Al-Zeidi gets imprisonment for throwing shoes and Bush walks free for dropping bombs. What madness!

Al-Zeidi’s lawyers argued that the charge was inadmissible since Bush was not on an “official visit.” They sought to reduce the charge to insult also failed. Al-Zeidi, aged 30, has been in detention since he was detained by American security staff and later handed over to Iraqi security services.

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the disproportionate sentence.

“This sentence is hugely out of proportion,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “The journalist made a serious mistake, but it was something that should have been properly dealt with internally and not brought before the courts at all. The Iraqi response is regrettable and we urge that there is clemency and his sentence is reduced on appeal.”

This penalty is ridiculous. He should be freed immediately. If anything, there should be a standing order to arrest George Bush or any high American officials if they step foot in the country. That is what a proud, independent country would do, not punish courageous, lowly, journalists.

Muntadhar is the man!

Related posts:

1. The “Arab Culture” and the Shoe: Let’s Put on our Orientalist Anthropological Musing Caps On Shall We?
2. A New Arab Hero Emerges
3. Iraq Loses Veteran Journalist
4. Surprise: More Bad News From Iraq
5. The War on Journalism