Diyaree Mohammed, Director of Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights, stated on Channel8’s Target program that the closure of NRT offices in Erbil and Duhok is "an unlawful measure.”

He emphasized that according to legal procedures, the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate should be notified and a committee from the Ministry of Culture should be formed to determine whether the channel violated the law, "not by simply shutting down offices in this way.”

Government Failure on Press Freedom

He strongly criticized the ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), saying it has failed in the field of press freedom. For the first time under this cabinet, the Kurdistan Region’s name has appeared internationally "on lists that classify it as a place where political prisoners and detainees of press freedom exist.”

Pressure on Journalists and Activists

Mohammed highlighted that the government has carried out numerous restrictions against journalists and activists. He stressed that "for the first time, due to this government’s policies, journalists are facing harsh legal punishments and being penalized for their professional work.”

Government–Media Relations

In conclusion, he remarked that the government cannot treat the media as its friend while simultaneously restricting freedoms. He warned that the current approach toward media institutions has caused "serious damage to the Kurdistan Region’s reputation at the international level.”


Source/ Channel 8