Metro Center and lawyer Rezan Sheikh Dilêr argued that the right to a fair trial and the
presumption of innocence guarantee that the publication of investigation details (including confessions) would be considered a violation of the confidentiality of the investigation and affect the trial.

This afternoon, Thursday, August 28th, 2025, the team of Metro Center received lawyer Rezan Sheikh Dilêr, former member of the Iraqi House of Representatives and activist of the women's rights movement.

During the meeting, we agreed that the publication of video confessions of the accused in the case of the bloody fight in Sarchnar Hill neighborhood of Sulaimani, which is under investigation and broadcasting it on television before the final decision of the court, violates the presumption of innocence. Article 19 of the Iraqi constitution states that "the accused is innocent until proven guilty by the final decision of the court.”

Furthermore, the publication of details of the investigation (including confessions) violates the confidentiality of the investigation and undermines the integrity of the proceedings and is inconsistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense.”

They also discussed the vote of the Iraqi House of Representatives, which approved the introduction of the Sharia law of the provisions of Jaafari jurisprudence on the personal status law, which was sent by the Shiite Endowment Office. 

We are concerned about the vote, especially the vote of the representatives of the PUK, KDP and New Generation party, of such barbarian rule that violate the rights of women and children.