Oday Hatem, Iraq, is a journalist, president of the Society for Defending Press Freedom organization and a courageous advocate for free expression. Under Saddam Hussein’s rule, he was arrested and tortured for publishing articles against the regime. He continues to be one of the few vocal voices against the Iraqi government to defend freedom of expression, including a lawsuit before the Iraqi Federal Court to challenge the Journalists' Rights Law as unconstitutional. Since 2003, he has worked with Iraqi and Arab media institutions, and has written numerous articles published by prominent Arabic newspapers. A recipient of the 2009 French Medal for Freedom of Expression and Human Rights Defenders, he continues his work in the face of threats against him and his family.
