Metro Center thanked NRT and all its journalists for their resistance. For 14 years, the civilian, security and military administrations of the PUK and KDP may have been different on everything, but they share the same mindset on obstructing and creating daily obstacles for NRT reporters.

We were pleased to meet our colleagues, talented journalists of NRT, Karzan Osman, Chia Hussein, Mariwan Hassan, who have always supported Metro Center and freedom of the press.

The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing civil space and press freedom, the development of tools to suppress freedom of criticism and restrict political and organizational freedom.

We also discussed some behaviors against the principles of democracy and human rights, which has led international organizations in the field of freedom of expression and journalism, criticize the performance of the political authorities in the Kurdistan Region.

The latest was a joint statement issued on September 24th, 2025, in which a number of international and national organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, Reporters Without Borders RSF, Metro Center, and other 15 international and national organizations called for, " The immediate and unconditional release of Sherwan Sherwani and refrain from opposing any appeal against the court's decision.”

NRT began broadcasting on February 17th, 2011, when none of the channels covered the demonstrations. It became the number one channel of citizens. After only three days of coverage of the demonstrations, a masked armed group attacked the channel's headquarters and burned it.