Iraqi artistic circles announced the death of the Iraqi cartoonist Ahmmed Rubei, who died on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, after suffering acute pneumonia in the city of Erbil, to which he resorted a month ago to escape killing threats after publishing a caricature that depicting the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by the Iraqi Newspaper Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed, and after the newspaper has experienced retaliatory bombings, as if the fate of the cartoonist was to die either by chasing or in the exile.
The news website "Erem" quoted the head of the political section in the newspaper "Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed" that "The cartoonist Ahmed Al-Rubaie, who was working for that newspaper, is died in Erbil due to the worsening of acute pneumonia and his need for a surgery to pull the water out of his lung, however, he died before the surgery," noting that "the deceased was suffering that disease months ago, but he was unable to follow up his health due to the conditions of displacement and the threats experienced by him."
From its part, the "Association for the Defense of Press Freedom in Iraq," held the Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and his government responsible for the death of Al-Rubaie, calling on the government to get even with the instigators of the murder from among Parliament members and militias.
The Association said in a statement that "Ahmad Al-Rubaie was murdered, and the cause of his death is upon those who chased him and incited to kill him, forcing him to flee from Baghdad, looking for a safe place. During the period of escape and search, he was unable to follow up his health which deteriorated to die due to the worsening of acute pneumonia."
The Association also condemned "Disregarding, by the government, the practices of militias and inciting to kill Al-Rubaie publicly by Parliament members, asking Al-Maliki to "get even with militias and Parliament members on charges of incitement to murder."
May God bless Al-Rubaie and solace his family and loved ones
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