
The journalist Muntadhar Al Zaïdi was sentenced on 12 March 2009, as a result of an unfair trial, to 3 years in prison for "assaulting against a foreign head of state during an official visit". His lawyers have appealed this decision at the High Court of Baghdad.
Mr Muntadhar Al Zaidi was arrested by the security services during the press conference given by the American president, George W. Bush, on 14 December 2008 for having thrown his shoes at the president as a sign of protest against his policies in Iraq.