Dyako Husen, reporter for the Communist party-affiliated Standard Kurd, was reportedly set to cover an anti-Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) protest of the party in front of the Council of Ministers building on Monday morning, before he was “kidnapped”, said the publication.
Opposition media outlets in the Kurdistan Region often use the term “kidnapping” to refer to journalists being detained by local security forces.
“This sort of mistreatment is within the framework of the authorities’ pressure on freedom of expression, which results in more and more reports against Kurdistan officials by the day and leads to losing its friends in the international community,” read a statement from Standard.
The US Consulate in Erbil on Thursday said Washington is concerned about the “recent backsliding” of press freedom in the Kurdistan Region. The KRG quickly denied the accusation, claiming that the diplomatic mission had in fact voiced its appreciation towards the “decline” in violations against journalists.
Metro Center for Journalists Right and Advocacy condemned Husen’s detention by the security forces, saying it violates the principles of freedom of expression, and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
“Policymakers need to acknowledge the undeniable truth that the progression and retrogression of democracy in the Kurdistan Region is linked to the level of progression or retrogression of media freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of access to news sources and publications, and internet freedom,” said Metro.
Kurdish authorities repeatedly face harsh criticism for their treatment of journalists as well as imposing restrictive measures on the press.
A total of 249 violations were committed against journalists and media outlets in 2023, according to figures from Metro center, a significant drop compared to the 431 violations recorded the year before.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in its annual report in January that “vaguely worded laws” have been used in the Kurdistan Region to suppress journalists, activists, and political rivals.
“In many cases, spurious anti-defamation lawsuits are less about proving the individual committed a crime, but rather about using the legal proceedings themselves as a punishment or way to control the activities of the person being charged,” read the HRW report.
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