Below is a statement from Rudaw Media Network:
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, has decided to suspend the work of Rudaw Media Network and its staff. The decision is signed by Nour Saeed and Jiwan Mala Ibrahim, co-chairs of the Media Administration, on Saturday, February 5th, 2022. A copy was sent to Rudaw Media Network.
Rudaw Media Network considers this a political decision and a crime against freedom of the press in Western Kurdistan. Rudaw Media Network operates very professionally and complies with regulations everywhere. The decision by the Autonomous Administration lacks legal grounds and is coming from thin political and partisan considerations.
We have been reporting on the issues of services delivered to the people, presented those issues to officials of Rojava, and their statements have been taken. We have reported on the political issues according to all the parties and organized debates amongst those parties. We have executed the most successful and extensive coverage of the attacks on Kobane, Afrin, and Sare Kani. We have also reported on the demands of the families of those kidnapped by The Young Revolutionaries to have them returned. Those are considered violations according to the Autonomous Administration, and administration that belongs to PYD.
Rudaw Media Network delivered extensive coverage of the attacks and crimes committed by ISIS in Rojava. Until this moment, the fate of our reporter, Farhad Hamo, is unknown, who was kidnapped by ISIS on January 15th, 2014 on the road between Qamishli and Tel Kochar.
Rudaw is the top media organization in Rojava that's trusted by the people of Rojava. For a long time, we have come under attack by masked gunmen and young political anarchists in Rojava. Our office has been attacked six times with Molotov cocktails. On January 6th of this year, The Young Revolutionaries Organization admitted to Rudaw their responsibilities behind those attacks. Furthermore, two Rudaw reporters have been expelled from Rojava and three others have been beaten. And Our entire staff have been threatened that they will be killed. On December 7th, 2021, security forces in Rojava raided Rudaw's office and arrested the entire staff, and later claimed that what happened was a mistake. On August 4th, 2015, Rudaw's license was suspended and that suspension continued until March 20th, 2018.
Rudaw Media Network has always tried to notify the relevant officials and offices in Rojava about those violations, but nothing worked. Some of those officials have told Rudaw that it's not under their control.
We ask the people of Rojava, the political parties, civil society institutions in Rojava and other parts of Kurdistan, United Nations Representative, United States and other countries in Rojava and Syria, and the entire freedom of the press organizations, to raise their voices to repeal that decision.
In the meantime, we guarantee the people of Rojava that this decision will not stop Rudaw's efforts to report on Rojava and will not disengage Rudaw in Rojava.
Rudaw Media Network
February 5th, 2022
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