Erbil, Kurdistan Region - A senior US state department official on Thursday met with a group of journalists from the Kurdistan Region in an off the record meeting in which Rudaw participated, releasing a public statement calling on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to increase efforts towards protecting journalists and the right to freedom of speech, as well as condemning last month's Iranian ballistic missile attack in Erbil in "the strongest possible terms."
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran Affairs, Jennifer Gavito, reiterated the important role the Kurdistan Region plays as an ally of the US, commending the joint efforts made throughout the partnerships, particularly in the security field and in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).
Gavito stated the "deep partnership" between the US and the Region is "anchored in shared democratic values, including freedom of expression," before she went on to encourage the KRG to uphold and protect these values in order to "continue to lead as the beacon of civil liberties in the Middle East."
The state department official said the holy month of Ramadan is a "month of reflection" and an opportunity for de-escalation in "ongoing conflicts in Iraq and the surrounding region." Gavito also expressed her hope that the month of Ramadan will "bring comfort and peace" to people across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
In the statement, Gavito added that the US will continue working towards a "safe, secure, and prosperous Iraqi Kurdistan Region" which is an "integral" part to achieving a stable Iraq, and that support to the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces.
Gavito recalled the letter sent by US President Joe Biden to Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, condemning the attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Erbil, adding that the US supports the "sovereignty" of both the Region and of Iraq.
In its annual report, Metro Center for Journalists Rights and Advocacy, a media watchdog based in Sulaimani, said that in 2021 it has recorded 353 violations committed against journalists and media outlets in 2021. The violations consisted of cases of assault, threats, and arrests made without trials.
The United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in December released a report on freedom of expression in the Kurdistan Region, expressing human rights concerns, while commending the KRG for taking "concrete steps" to protect these.
Dozens of people, including journalists, were detained by security forces in Duhok in 2020 after protesting against the government's delay in salary payments. Several of the detainees were later put on trial for "endangering the national security of the Kurdistan Region," and were sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of the charges. Their trials were postponed multiple times until a presidential decree from President Barzani in February reduced their sentences by 50 to 60 percent.
