On Sunday, 8 November 2026, Daban Kamal, Director and License Holder of Bazian Media, and reporter Dilan Sirwan visited Metro Center.

The purpose of the visit was to file a complaint regarding their summons to the Bazian Security Forces and the requirement to sign a pledge committing them to professionalism in their journalistic work and not causing disturbances. The pledge was imposed as a condition for continuing their media activities in the Bazian district of Sulaymaniyah Governorate.

The summons came after their reporter published a report on 4 November 2026 about a meeting concerning the distribution of land among Bazian employees. The report included the views of several employees.

The dissatisfied employees had spoken to Bazian Media, asking the outlet to convey their concerns to the relevant authorities. Within hours of the report’s publication, the Bazian Security Forces contacted the media team and told them to delete the interviews they had recorded with those employees.

During his meeting with Metro Center, Daban Kamal, Director and License Holder of Bazian Media, said: "They contacted me and our reporter and asked us to go to the Assistant Director of Bazian Security at 9 a.m. on 6 November.”

He added: "At the security office, they asked us, ‘Who do you think you are? We have been telling you since yesterday to delete that post, but you still haven't deleted it.’ They then used offensive language.”

Dilan Sirwan, editor and reporter for Bazian Media, told Metro: "We, as Bazian Media, have not done anything illegal. Nevertheless, they are forcing us to delete our posts and sign a pledge.”

They were kept in a room for two hours. During that time, the security personnel demanded the reporter’s mobile phone password and inspected the phone. They also warned them not to get themselves into trouble with the authorities or end up in prison and told them to delete the post.

Daban Kamal confirmed: "They made us sign a pledge stating that we must not publish anything they do not want us to publish. They also forced us to delete the post.”

Metro Center rejects the use of security agencies to intimidate and pressure journalists and media outlets, as well as forcing them to sign pledges. The Center calls on the relevant authorities to investigate this unlawful conduct and put an end to such practices.

Bazian Media is a website registered with the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate on 23 March 2023.