Sulaimani, June 25th, 2025: Network 19 calls for the immediate release of all detainees, an end to arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions, the government to respond convincingly to their protests, meet their legitimate needs and demands, and be open and transparent about their financial problems.
Last night, the two organizers of the demonstration, Osman Gulpi and Dilshad Mirani, were asked to visit the security forces, after they leave, they disappear.
Adel Hassan, a member of the protesting teachers' council, told Network 19 that the families of the detainees went to the Sulaimani General Security this morning, "They are with us and we will release them tomorrow, but they are still there,” they were told.
Also, on the afternoon of the 25th, a group of teachers held a press conference in front of the public garden in Sulaimani, demanding the release of their friends, who were arrested by a security force, and seized the journalistic equipment of an NRT team.
Meanwhile, the Halwest Movement said that a number of protesting teachers and employees were arrested in front of the Halwest office in Sulaimani by a force dressed in civilian clothes.
The arrested teachers and employees, (Najmadin Mohammed, Dilawar Ali, Zryan Ali, Munira Abdullah, Shahla Ali, Nur Fariq and Mohammed Rasul), were the organizers of the demonstration scheduled for Thursday.
On Saturday, June 21st, a group of protesting teachers and employees in Sulaimani, in a press conference called on all sections of society to take to the streets on Thursday and demand their rights against corruption, injustice and salary delay.
On June 24th, an NRT team (Ali Salih, Mir Sarkawt) was arrested by security forces while preparing a report in Sulaimani market and released after several hours.
The arrest of the NRT team coincided with a statement issued by the Sulaimani Provincial Security Committee, which said, "Holding demonstrations in this sensitive situation in the region is not appropriate.
"They demanded that the demonstration be postponed for a more stable time so that we can help and coordinate in conveying their messages in a civilized manner and away from any possibility of violence and unwanted incidents.
In response, teachers and employees rejected the request of the security committee and said their statement for peaceful demonstrations remains the same.
Colonel Salam Abdulkhaliq, spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Security Agency (KRG), told a news conference today that the security committee did not say that demonstrations are prohibited, but did not consider the time appropriate. "We had full information that it was going to be violent and that some hands were trying to disrupt the demonstration," he said. "We have detained 11 people according to Article 10 of the Demonstration Law," he said.
According to Article 10 of Law No. 11 of 2010 on Organizing Demonstrations in the Kurdistan Region, "Anyone who violates the provisions of this law shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month or a fine of not less than fifty thousand dinars, and not more than five hundred thousand dinars, or both punishments.
Network 19 demands:
1. Article 10 of Law No. 11 of 2010 on Organizing Demonstrations in the Kurdistan Region, is for those who have violated the provisions of the law, there have been no demonstrations yet. Therefore, person or group of people cannot be stopped without violating this article.
2. Release all detainees immediately, stop arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions, the government should respond convincingly to their protests, provide their legitimate needs and demands, and be open and transparent about their financial problems with the Iraqi government.
3. Release the members of the protesting teachers and employees (Osman Gulpi and Dilshad Mirani, Najmadin Mohammed, Dilawar Ali, Zryan Ali, Munira Abdullah, Shahla Ali, Nur Fariq and Mohammed Rasul).
4. The security committee of Sulaimani province should protect the organizers, participants of the demonstration and journalists through appropriate security measures.
Network 19:
Consists of a number of human rights organizations, is supervised by Metro Center, advocates the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments on rights and freedoms, especially Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.