Report on situation of freedom of journalism in Kurdistan Region in 2022



 

 

Report on situation of freedom of journalism in Kurdistan Region in 2022

 

·       Failure of Law Enforcement to Fulfill Duties

·       Infringement of Press Rights by Security Forces

 

431 violations made against 301 journalists and media outlets

Prevention of Coverage: 195

Confiscation of Journalistic Tools: 68

Beatings, Threats and Humiliations: 46

Detention without Lawful warrants from judges: 64

Arrest and detention by judicial order:4

Beating and injuring journalists:26

Raids and Forced Shutdown of Media Outlets: 1

Attacking media offices with missiles: 2

Journalists' homes raided: 3

Electronic Attacks on Media Broadcast: 6

Filling in pledge letters: 16

 

 

security forces’ ways of dealing with media teams when covering events have not been changed in 2022. They made difficult for journalists to cover news which were worthwhile in journalistic views.

 

Arrest without court warrant, beating, attacking media teams, putting them inside police and security jails, threatening them, discrimination and withholding information and even there were incidents when journalists were arrested before going to cover the events.

 

Kurdistan Region media teams inside parks and terminals, before universities, restaurants and hospitals, before banks and companies, in stadiums, before houses and offices of journalists, in popular markets and teashops, before schools, before autopsy were either humiliated or arrested or their tools were seized. In the best cases they were obliged to erase photos of their cameras and were forced to leave the areas near the incidents.

 

Journalists were discriminated or banned or forced to erase photos inside their camera while they were covering events and preparing reports on bombardments, matches, gatherings and demonstrations of teachers, of students, of retirees and of residents of the districts with no public services. And even when covering "conferences of the committee to track moon appearance”.  

 

Security forces, anti-terrorism forces, companies’ guards, unidentified forces and even ordinary people attacked media teams or made carrying out of their job difficult. The violations are included in our report.

 

In the 2022 alike the previous years the journalism laws were not taken into consideration during the issues between government and media outlets and citizens and media outlets. Instead of journalism laws, resorting to decisions and guidance of Culture Ministry and the sections of Iraqi penal law were sought.

 

The anti-democracy and human rights principles’ behavior made the international organizations who work for freedom of expression and journalism criticize the performance of political rule of Kurdistan Region calling on them to stop violations against the right of freedom of expression.

 

What do the international reports say?

According to the Journalists Without Borders’ Organization which has its headquarters in France, Iraq is designated as the 172nd worst country out of 182 other countries for bad environment for journalism. Thus, it is the tenth worst country of the world for journalism work and freedom. Iraq retreated by 9 points in comparison to 2021.

 

Journalists Without Borders stated that although no journalist was killed since the beginning of this year in Iraq, but it is mentioned in the report that five journalists were imprisoned in Kurdistan Region who are journalists from Badinan area and they are still in prison.

 

It was mentioned in the report of Journalists Without Borders that journalists face threats from different sides whether they are terrorism, political instability and demonstrations. And this is because of weakness of the state and its institutions which are not able to play their role for protecting journalists.

 

The United Nations set the 2nd of November of each year in its (68th) round of 2013 as the day for prevention of escaping punishment for those crimes committed against journalists as per the 68/163 resolution.

 

The resolution calls on the members of UN to take necessary measures to prevent escaping punishment.

 

The UN’s resolution condemns those violations and violent acts against journalists and employees of media agencies. It also calls on member countries to exert all efforts and capabilities to prevent violence against journalists and to end the appearance of escaping punishment and to pave the way for holding those who commit crimes against journalists countable and bringing them to justice.

 

The three sentenced journalists inside prison

The Committee for Protecting Journalists CPJ in its 2022 report on the number of imprisoned journalists and in that part of the report which is related to imprisonment in Iraq says that "All of the three arrested journalists in Iraq were imprisoned in Iraqi Kurdistan”. 

 

CPJ says, in its most recent report, on the number of imprisoned journalists all over the world which was published on 14th January 2022 that the year of 2022 was full of conflicts and suppression and the authoritarian leaders have doubled their crimes against independent journalism and were more brutal in suppressing and cracking down on dissident voices and weakening of freedom of journalism.

 

The annual census of private prisoners of the Committee for Protecting Journalists has identified that 363 journalists have their freedom deprived. And that is a new global high record which exceeded last year’s record by 20% which is a dire gesture on worsening of the state of media work.

 

What did the Human Rights Watch say?

At the beginning of December 2022, Human Rights Watch Organization in its annual report on Iraq and Kurdistan Region spoke about that "Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delivered a message silently to all journalists and activists through trying journalists and activists saying that anyone who criticizes will have the same destiny”.

 

Part of the report is on the situation of journalists and activists’ rights in Kurdistan Region in which it says "KRG has pushed many dossiers forward in the courts against a number of activists and journalists for their writings”.

 

It also referred to the criminal court of Erbil province which sentenced three journalists and activists to six years imprisonment each, despite the fact that the process of their trial was not void of injustices and meddling from high-ranking officials. The court has denied that the arrested talked under duress.

 

Balqis Wali, a researcher at crisis department of Human Rights Watch referred to that "It is of concern that Kurdistan Region rulers bring people to trial over expression while it itself should have protected freedom of expression”.

 

It also says that the region’s rulers delivered a message silently through these trials to all journalists and activists saying anyone who criticizes will have the same destiny.

 

At the end of August 2022, Human Rights Watch published a report on 6th August demonstrations saying that arrest of activists, journalists and other figures is an oppression against people of the region.

 

The Human Rights Watch report also says: security forces of Iraqi Kurdistan Region have arrested tens of journalists, political activists and political figures for no reason other than the demonstrations of 6th of August 2022.

 

Adam Google, deputy head of Human Rights Watch in the middle east says about that: using violence and arresting activists, journalists, political figures and citizens is oppression against people of Kurdistan Region.

 

It also rebukes KRG and said: for solving anger of people, the best way is to respect their rights, freedom, allowing freedom of expression, staging peaceful demonstration and letting them to deliver their demands for achieving their rights.

 

He also stressed saying that "in the recent years, independent media institutions and independent journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan Region faced violence and were targeted”.

Adding that: the authorities in Iraq and Kurdistan Region have used legal articles of, almost, defamation against critics, journalists, political activists and the dissident voices.

 

Bombardment and drone attacks

The missile attacks on Erbil and areas around it, drone attacks and bombardment by Iran and Turkey against different areas of Kurdistan Region are new threats on lives of journalists and preventing them from work and arresting of media teams and taking their tools.

 

The most outstanding was on 28th September, during bombardment by Iranian revolutionary guards on (Altun Kopri) area in which Kurdistan24 reporter, Soran Kamaran, was severely wounded and his health is unstable until writing this report.

 

According to Metro Center report which we had referred to them in the violations’ section, during those incidents, media teams were disallowed or their tools were seized.

 

They are not only disallowed in the location of the bombardments and detonations but rather in different events the security forces have stood before hospitals and made for them difficult to collect information on victims.

 

Media teams were attacked during live and not live broadcasts including beating, swearing at them forcing them to stop broadcasting.

 

If the security forces bring excuses for that the locations of explosions and bombardments are not safe, but why do they stand before hospital gates not allowing them to work and use violence against them?

 

According to clause fourth of seventh article of journalism law in Kurdistan, "journalists have the right to attend conferences and public events” and it says in the second clause of the second article of the same law that "journalists are allowed to collect information from different sources which are of interest to the people and are related to public good”.

 

Shortening of sentence period of journalists and activists of Badinan area

Metro Center has a clear stance since the beginning of issuance of verdict by Erbil court against activists and journalists of Badinan which was against the will and demand of many human rights organizations and observers of democratic process in Kurdistan and it called for: the region’s president should use his powers to issue general amnesty for them.

 

On Tuesday, 16/02/2021, Erbil court sentenced five remanded of Dohuk province to six years imprisonment for "disrupting national security of Kurdistan”. Those remanded were: Sherwan Sherwani, Mulla Shivan Saeed Barozhki, Ayas Karam Parchi, Hariwan Issa and Guhdar Muhammad Amin.

 

During our meeting with Kurdistan Region president, we stressed that "if the final decision of appeal court would be the same as criminal court of Erbil, so, he might use his powers to issue an amnesty for them”.

 

In February 2022, by (Nechirvan Barzani)’s decree, Kurdistan Region President, the sentence period has been decreased by 60% for Badinan jailed.

 

Metro Center welcomed the decree of Kurdistan Region president, though our wish was to issue a general amnesty for them.

 

Umed Baroshki, was one of those who were sentenced, after spending one year and seven months in prison, he was freed and Badal Barwari was freed on 20th of October after end of serving his sentence.

 

In the middle of January, each of (Yusif Sharif Ibrahim, born 2001, Mahmoud Naji Sadiq, born 1996, Govan Tariq Jibraeel, born 1996, Amjad Yusif Mustafa, born 1989, Nechirvan Badi Haji, born 1993) were freed.

 

Electronic attacks

The advance of IT means and the influence of social media have created an environment which led the citizens not to be restricted by official information, therefore the corrupts in undemocratic and oppressive political system uses electronic attacks as a weapon against free media.

 

On 18th July, Diplomatic Media Institution stated that "it was under a big and dangerous electronic attack on its official page of Diplomatic Magazine on Facebook and many inappropriate posts were put on it to erase and eliminate the page. Besides, all the posts including pictures, graphics, texts and videos were erased in 2022”.

 

This is not the first time when sites and media pages on internet or TVs were subject to electronic attacks and at all the time the attacks coincided with publishing of an important subject on corruption.

 

During the last year, there was an apparent electronic attack against some media institutions like the Diplomatic which is a media institution who published information through investigative reports on events in Kurdistan Region. And most part of the reports were on unveiling corruption in government, political parties and of influential officials of the region.

 

In the middle of May, Metro Center alongside some media institutions which received damage from those attacks including (Bwar News, DirawMedia, Dang Radio, Hawlati, Diplomatic, Standard Institution and Paragraph), has issued a statement against these attacks in collaboration with journalists like Kamal Chomani, Dilshad Anwar, Sulaymaniyah branch of the syndicate, Karokh Rasool and Farman Rashad.

 

We stressed the importance of building media collaboration on Kurdistan level and abroad among the institutions and trying to solving of electronic attacks in groups’ format and directly by Facebook company and related institutions. In addition to informing consulates and international representations, representative of UN and international organizations on media situation and pressure on media institutions.

 

The aim of those attacks and their alike is to keep information on corruption undetected and hidden from public opinion.

 

In order to dislocate this weapon and to denounce those who use them, the free journalists should be determined on publishing their reports and unveiling corruption files and the local and foreign organizations should cooperate with independent electronic sites to upgrade technical part and digital security of their sites.

 

The case of media team of Bwar

Detention of journalists for long-time and several hours without court warrant are most of those detention and imprisonment that Metro Center has recorded.

 

Arrest of two journalists (Sartip Waisi Qashqayee), editor-in-chief of Bwar media institution and (Ibrahim Ali), managing-editor of the institution, from (9th to 15th October) in Sulaymaniyah Security Department, raised the question among media field that; why do we want journalism law?

 

The joint-team of Mtero Center and Journalists’ Syndicate met the two arrested journalists after one day of their arrest in Sulaymaniyah security department, but they did not allow to be bailed.

 

We understood in that meeting that the two journalists were arrested by anti-terrorism forces and spent one night in their custody then transferred to security forces prison and the plan was to lengthen their remand in custody.

 

The two journalists have not received court papers to stand before it which is in the jurisdiction of police, but the applicant, the anti-terrorism forces, have arrested them.

 

In that process, personal mobile phones and computers of those two journalists were seized in order to check them and detect the sources of their information. This is at a time that according to journalism law "journalists have the right to withheld the sources of their information unless there is a court warrant for it”.

 

Taking over the communications means is a new technic for unveiling information sources of journalists.

 

These two journalists are sued over misuse of electronic tools and a dossier was opened for them for that reason not according to journalism law in order to keep them in prison.

 

The cases related to publications has its own way for doing so. So, a special law was issued for it from 2007, but despite existence of the law, Journalists are being investigated with according to Iraqi penal laws and other laws in courts in Kurdistan Region.

 

Demonstrations, blockading of information

 

In the cities of Kurdistan Region, the security forces have not only besieged the areas where demonstrations were held in, but they also have raided on houses of some journalists and activists before the start of demonstrations.

 

There is no excuse for arresting journalists except that the security forces are determined to disgrace parliament laws and violate right of expression and freedom to cover the demonstrations before they start.  

 

Hitherto, no orders of a judge were showed for the process of arrest and raid on journalists’ and activists’ houses.

 

What is the password of your mobile phone?

When a journalist is arrested, some officers ask for password of his/her mobile phone password as an easy technic to enter into source of information or the content they recorded.

 

Those who were detained by security forces and taken to their bases tell stories about taking their mobile phones and disclosure of their passwords.

 

Some security forces’ bases in Kurdistan Region cities are eying journalists work in an adversary way and the reason behind this is that media teams are covering and reporting violations of human rights in the demonstrations and outside the demonstrations.

 

The most outstanding examples of those violations that are reported by media outlets against security forces: like that which was recorded during teachers’ demonstration in Erbil where two security guards beat and kick an elderly teacher and those in university and institutes’ demonstration in Sulaymaniyah "some members of security forces arrest a student and beat him and a man in no uniform kick the student on his head”.

 

Disclosure of violations and disgracing inhumane treatment of teachers, students and other classes in the demonstrations made the security forces to regard camera zoom and mobile phones as dangerous and it is why they take measures to ban them and seize the materials of media teams. This was referred to as the most outstanding violation in 2022 in violations’ report.

 

Forced signing of promissory note by detainees

 

During the demonstrations in the cities of Kurdistan Region, the security forces launched an arrest campaign against journalists and activists. They were asked during investigations to fill and sign promissory notes as condition for their release.

 

Some of the forms of investigations with journalists were meant to frighten them and taking them away from delivering information and unveiling corruption and violation of human rights.

 

One form of the investigations is receiving promise from those journalists and human rights activists who are in the demonstrations or those who want to go to the areas the Turkish and Iranians have bombarded.

 

"Promissory notes” that journalists have signed entail that he/she will not repeat doing what he/she has been arrested for. Examples of those acts are filming demonstrations and violations of human rights. Then the journalist is freed for signing that promissory note.

 

Metro Center has shed light on this in different occasions regarding the act as illegal and called for halt of the campaign of frightening the journalists through filling illegal promissory notes.

 

Taking promissory notes aimed at changing opinions of writers, political activists and defenders of human rights is not in line with laws implemented in Kurdistan Region and is against principles of democracy and human rights and should be stopped.

 

A corruption case is proved because of unjust trial

Rayal magazine which had the martyr Kawa Garmyani as its editor-in-chief in 2012 published a report on a property in Liwa street in the town of Kalar which was confiscated by a member of leadership committee of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) who filed a lawsuit against the writer of the report, Dilshad Anwar.

 

After martyrdom of Kawa Garmyani, Kalar criminal court settled the dossier of that member of leadership committee by fining him with three million dinars because the owners of that property did not agree to attend court session to witness and ask for giving back their confiscated property.

 

The applicant went further and filed another lawsuit against defamation and asked for compensation.

 

On 18th January 2022, the court held a new session in which the owners of the confiscated property were forced to witness and they attended the court session.

 

When the judge made them take the oath, they proved that their property was occupied by that PUK Leadership Committee member and his brother. The whole information in Dilshad Anwar’s report is true, but, unfortunately, the judge closed the dossier.

 

Metro welcomed the process of proving the truth inside Rayal magazine report by Kalar court. The truth about the dossier proves that truth would have unveiled for the public opinion if the dossier had been accurately looked through.

 

Who would disarm electronic militias?

The enemies of freedom of journalism do not stop at inflicting physical harm to journalists but rather they have a reserve of electronic army ready for attacking journalists’ personality. Who will disarm that army?

 

In the beginning of July, some of the pages of that mercenary attacked personality of Kamal Rauf, the concessionaire of SharPress. These attacks were both a threat and an attack on personality of that journalist in which very mean words, in social terms, were used against his wife.

 

This is not the first time in which some renowned writers and journalists of Kurdistan Region become prey for the net of those pages, the mercenary of political, tribal and factional power who used defamation campaign in different occasions and stages. They were off for a period of time, then they returned with the same way of producing lies, hatred discourse and defamation.

 

Attacks and defamation of journalists, writers and human rights activists through using electronic mercenaries which receives political money is a danger on social peace.

 

The party which used its mercenaries on social media to target journalists became bankrupt and writers, journalists and human rights activists were more determined on writing critical pieces, civic activities and identifying corrupts.

 

Anti-misleading campaign

The appearance of misleading media, untrue news and fake information affect the new media and become a threat to the profession and freedom of journalism. The dangers of this appearance are various and led the public less trust in media believing that they are not told the truth.

 

Those who mislead are those who became the machine of producing untrue information have other purpose away from journalism principles and want to replace true news and information with allegations and misleading.

 

Metro Center, in the framework of the project (raising awareness against misinformation in Kurdistan Region), which is supported by (International Republic Institute) in 2022 has trained 112 journalists and 37 university and institutes students in Kurdistan Region which is part of the campaign and every participant is working on his/her workplace for combating this appearance. Also, 35 spokespersons and media heads of public offices of Kurdistan Region were trained.

 

Though, the advance of information technology created an atmosphere in which the people are no longer slaves of official information, but in the lack of official and proved information a dangerous appearance emerged in Kurdistan Region which is the publication of information which lacks a source and is baseless. At the same time, it made people change from being a receiver to being a distributor of news and source of information to an extend that sometimes the personal views become sources of information. And this will not serve journalists, people and experts as a source of true information to let them dealing with them and decide through them.

 

Information is an important condition for a good ruling and the relation between right to information and democracy cannot be separated. Access to information and publishing it freely will strengthen democratic system. And on contrary lack of information paves the way for corruption and misleading and spread of untrue news, rumors and defamation.

 

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in order to be part of combating misleading and fake news it should seriously work for implementing the law of access to information. And we make sure that giving information is a powerful and examined weapon against the infamous appearance of electronic militias and the hatred discourse and fake news.

 

Barriers on the way of journalists to have access to sources of information should be removed and all the government information should not be categorized as confidential. Journalists should easily have access to information based on the sections of the law of right to have access to information. We consider this as guarantee to implement the plan of 9th cabinet of KRG in order to activate the participation of people and medias in the process of fighting corruption as expanding the sphere of participation of people, medias and civil society organizations to enhance transparency, liability will be made through true information and implementing transparency principle. Without this, people and medias will lose the fight and the public support for this process will dwindle.

 

Responsibility of implementation of (the law of right to access information No. 11 of 2013) is given to the Independent Board of Human Rights and all the procedures have been completed by that board and sent to Council of Ministers. Now, the guidance of Council of Ministers is needed to be generalized according to article 23 of the mentioned law.

 

Right to information is a condition for a good rule

 

On 23th June, Metro Center welcomes the decisions of the meeting of the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers to support media outlets and activation of the law of right to have access to information in Kurdistan Region, No. 11 of 2013 and monitors implementation of these two laws.

 

Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers held a meeting on Wednesday 22nd of June 2022, chaired by PM Masrur Barzani and in attendance of deputy PM Qubad Talabani.

 

According to an official statement of the meeting, PM, in reference to his meeting with media outlets, urged ministers and government officials to further cooperate with media outlets and facilitate for them, give more information and explanation on the works and activities of government to media outlets and public. This is part of government plan in terms of transparency and informing public.

 

Then, deputy PM Qubad Talabani, beside supporting the speech of PM, has suggested activation of the law of right to access information in Kurdistan Region, No. 11 of 2013, and this through issuance of instructions to facilitate for implementation of the law by council of ministers in order to systematically rearrange giving true information to journalists and people.

 

Metro Center, since its establishment on 11th of August 2009, monitors implementation of the law No. 35 of 2007 of journalism law in Kurdistan and the issuance of law No. 11 of 2013 of the law of right to have access to information in Kurdistan Region. And calls on government not to make issuance of instruction an excuse to obstruct its implementation. Lack of instructions should not cause not implementing it.

 

We stress on our past attitudes: "right to information is an important condition and right of information and democracy are not separable. We want public participation in decision-making and people are not deprived from important decision-making. And this can be made via true information”.

 

Metro Center besides welcoming of decisions of Council of Ministers of KRG in cooperation with media outlets and activation of the law of right to have access to information in Kurdistan Region, No. 11 of 2013, it monitors implementation of these two decisions and it will issue its monitoring report to public in case of non-implementation of them.

 

According to a report of International Transparency Organization on Iraq in 2021, the country is 157th worst country out of 180 ones for lack of transparency and suitable environment for corruption.

 

NRT and Rudaw are not "dears”?

 

On 11 January, Dindar Zebari, the coordinator of International Reports in the KRG, has held a news conference in which many of the Kurdistan Region media outlets were present except for banning of RudawTV and NRT TV from attending the news conference.

 

Zebari’s office had previously issued a call entitled "for dear journalists” calling on them to be present at news conference of Dr. Dindar Zebari, coordinator of International Reports of KRG which contains 13 titles of which one entitled as "Freedom of Journalism and Media”.

 

In the invitation letter sent to the general group of journalists entitled "dear journalists” meaning that it includes all medias and journalists, but for those who arranged the news conference for reverend the coordinator, NRT TV and Rudaw TV are deprived from that compliment.

 

But the case is neither a compliment nor that as which media outlet is favorable? The case is legal and law allowed that media outlets can participate in the official events like that of coordinator of international reports.

 

Article 7, fourth of the law "journalists have the right to attend conferences and public events”.

 

So, according to laws or that invitation letter which was published by coordinator of international reports of KRG "To dear journalists”, the conference should have been open to all and no one should have been discriminated.

 

In that news conference, coordinator of international reports interpreted both laws of information and journalism as he wished while the texts of both the laws cannot be interpreted.

 

Women journalists have been oppressed twice

 

Women journalists proved their capabilities in the fields of written journalism, presentation and media works. They also try to offer the best. There are many famous women journalists in various fields and expertise.

 

Although the criteria for employment and offering opportunities does not abide by real, professional and fair guidelines. Because of this, a large number of personnel who cannot advance to a necessary level have become real barrier on the way of skillful and good ones. Also, existence of factional and group’s institutions and lack of independent institutions have affected women journalists. There are many conditions and obstacles which cause women journalists not to advance in their works.

 

The rate of women participation in Kurdish journalism is still small and does not reflect the real image in this profession. Women representation is only reflected in writing and all the institutions understand this, but they ignore and cover it.

 

From those issues and barriers which women journalists face are the issue of sexual harassment and violence. Though, many women journalists stand against them. The issues include swearing at them and humiliating them either face-to-face or via social media platforms.

 

Most of the issues of sexual violence and harassment are not disclosed and not being reported to courts and this is because of patriarchal society. There is no article in Iraqi penal law on punishing those who sexually attack women at work. There is only one legal article which is in place; the article 402 which refers to the punishment of offender with 75 Iraqi dinars as compensation then releasing him. And this is the defect of the laws.

 

Despite all these, women journalists stand against a type of assault which is related to social media like Facebook and defaming them through fabricated news about them or creating fake pages and posting fake pictures and video footages about them.

 

Among those issues which face women journalists is the enforced job contracts which is mostly because of unawareness of journalists about them. This makes mostly women to work in the institutions without contracts and for a lower wage. So, they are obliged to work for different institution at the same time. Also, some of the situations related to women is not taken into consideration like maternity leave, the period and some other situations related to the process of education and raising children.

 

Shina Faeq, a threatened journalist

Shina Faeq, editor-in-chief of Rozhnews agency which belongs to Chatir (Umbrella) company for publishing. They have their main office in Sulaymaniyah. They publish their materials in Kurdish and Arabic and has official license from Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate.

 

Shina is a famous journalist that faces obstacles because of her profession. In the beginning of February, she received many telephone calls via telegram and WhatsApp and some of the callers’ numbers are not known and some others were from Kurdistan Region.

 

Some of the callers introduced themselves as members of security department and asked her to work for them. Shina understands the matter soon and does not answer the calls anymore.

 

Late at night on 12th of February receives an image via WhatsApp which is about a dead body of a woman and a link telling her that the dead body of the woman is in somewhere.

 

After Shina asks the caller as who is he? And where is that place? He pretends to be afraid and does not say his name, but he continuously asks her to open the link in which there is the address and she can go to the incident’s place.

 

The caller continuously removes his messages which makes Shina suspect him and she does not open the link and she calls him but receives no answer. The caller insists on asking her to open the link to find the address.

 

The caller sends the same message to another woman journalist of Rozh News by name Berivan Ali. Shina informs security department via an institution, but after that a new type of surveillance begins when they find that a man is shown in the surveillance cameras of the institution watching the building and recording video. The same thing is repeated in the next day when the staff members of Rozh News are in a meeting.

 

They contact security department for another time and give picture, video footage and plate number of the vehicle to security forces as evidence.

 

At 27th March night, a vehicle carrying three passengers blocks the road before Shina when she is driving home in Qularaisi quarter. Two of the passengers get out of the car and Shina asks them as who they are. One of them answers her with one word "the state” and tells her not to be afraid "if you work with us you won’t receive any harms”. Shina asks them as what they want from her. The same person answers telling her that she has only five months permission.

 

He clarifies for her that if she does not work with them, they will rape her and then kill her. They deliver their message in a short period of time and leave.

 

The threats on her life continues until at night of 18th May a person called (Aysal) sends messages via telegram with his number unknown and writes in Kurdish Kurmanji "Everything is clear”. Then it is made known that they are the same people who threatened her previously reminding Shina to be aware of the permission they gave her.

 

The messages are sent until 5th of October and they are fully aware that Shina travelled to Europe and they first think that she will return and work for them and then when they realize she will not return they threaten her telling her if she does not keep silent, they will kill her like they killed Wadat.

 

The last message which was sent on 5th of October was written in Kurdish Sorani "Either work with us or keep silent”.

 

On 14th August, via an account by name "Dawlati Kurdistan” (Kurdistan State) Shina Faeq receives messages swearing at her and threatening her they will rape her and cut her tongue if she does not keep silent.

 

 

 

Violation cases in 2022 which were recorded by Metro Center:

 

·       On 1st of January, in the park of Goran Office in Dohuk, a security force did not allow live broadcast of KNN TV team while they were covering the activity of (the umbrella of international volunteer solicitors).

·       On 2nd of January, when KNN team was covering live the fire breakout in some food stores in the town of Koyah, the owners of the stores attacked the team and their tools were seized, though the owners have previously agreed to let KNN to cover the incident live.

·       On 4th of January, the team of Wilat Media (Muhammad Khalil and Taman Abdulla) were not allowed to cover a news conference by Ministry of Endowment.

·       On 9th of January, a team of "Payam TV” told Metro that a security force did not allow them to cover a gathering in Nawroz park in Dohuk which was held by bakeries’ workers due to increase of gas price from 300 dinars to 600 dinars.

·       On 11th of January, both Rudaw TV and NRT TV were not allowed to cover news conference of coordinator of international reports of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Dindar Zebari, in which many of the journalists of Kurdistan Region attended.

·       On 12thof January, NRT team (Herish Qadir, Choman Muhammad, Ahmed Muhammad and Burhan Abdulla) were not allowed to cover news conference of government in Erbil.

·       On 20th of January, Speda reporter, Madih Jamal Taha, was not allowed to cover gas crisis before Koyah Gas Factory in which a security personnel of east Erbil in civic uniform told the reporter that he would beat him with a gas bottle if he did not leave the place.

·       On 25th of January, in Shakhke quarter in Dohuk near Judi Mosque, a security force did not allow Payam satellite TV team and Badinan Sat team, Matin Muhammad, to cover news conference of representatives of owners of bakeries.

·       On 3rd of February, in Kurdsat quarter in Sulaymaniyah, some identified people knock at the journalist, Muhammad Fatih’s, house door hard and then ran away. The journalist says that that aimed to silence him as the incident was repeated for several times.

·       On 5th of February, in the town of Zakho of Dohuk province, a security force arrested reporter and photographer of Speda TV (Khabir Barzan and Husen Mishrir) while they were covering an opening ceremony of a center for teaching Quran.

·       On 5th of February in the town of Zakho, the staff members of Khabir TV, Barzan Hassan, Dler Haji and Mushir Ahmed, were arrested for some hours by security forces of the town while they were covering opening ceremony of "Tibyan” organization.

·       On 6th February in Erbil in which a news conference on works and activities of Health Ministry for Combating Cancer were due to be issued in Rotana Hotel, but the media teams of (Kurdsatnews, Rudaw, Kurdistan TV, Kurdistan 24, KNN, Gali Kurdistan, Speda, Sharpress, Jamawar, Westga News, Wilat Media, Politic Press, Esta, Paragraph, Khalik and Basnews) were not allowed to cover the ceremony.

·       On 11th of February, in Dohuk, security forces attacked Rudaw team and took their Live broadcast tools during live coverage before the governorate’s office.

·       On 11th of February, the security forces of Khabat district did not allow media channels to cover tensions and shooting by a security force in that district which belongs to Erbil.

·       On 17th February, in Dohuk, a security force attacked a Speda channel team (Yusif Mahmoud and Salman Hassan) and arrested them shortly while covering a gathering of taxi drivers.

·       On 21st of February, in Amedi town of Dohuk province, a health sector official threated a reporter of Badinan Sat channel (Esan Abdulrahman) who said that no government official in the town was willing to spoke to them.

·       On 27th February, the NRT reporters (Umed Chomani and Muhhamd Ismail) were not allowed by a syndicate’s activist to go to Baghdad Terminal in Erbil to cover the issue of drivers.

·       On 1st of March, Gavnews staff were forced to leave during a ceremony in the Memories’ Hall of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) branch in Dohuk. 

·       On 7th March, the KNN team was not allowed to cover the ceremony of opening of new groceries’ location in Sulaymaniyah in which all the media channels were invited to attend.

·       On 10th of March, in Sulaymaniyah, Speda TV team, Bestun Muhammad and Ayub Lattof, was not allowed to cover protests of retirees.

·       On 16th of March, in Dohuk, a security force attacked NRT TV team, Tayf Goran and Ahmed Zikri, and did not allow them to cover fire breakout in a building and their tools were seized .

·       On 13th of March, Kurdistan 24 Office building received damage to some its parts as the result of missile attack by Iranian revolutionary army against a civic area of Erbil.

·       On 17th of March, in Erbil, an employee of a bank did not allow NRT TV team, Murad Ahmad and Namo Muhammad, to prepare a report on demands of relatives of martyrs who gathered before that bank.

·       On 24th of March, in Dohuk, unidentified men attacked cameraman of Gavnews.

·       On 26th of March, in Mawat district of Sulaymaniyah province, Speda team, Bestun Muhammad and Ayub Lattif, were not allowed to cover the incident of drowning of three people in Mawat river. They were forced to erase what they filmed. After the team left the area, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) media team arrived at the scene and did their job without facing any restrictions.

·       On 1st of April, in Erbil, Wilat TV was not allowed to attend news conference of Ministry of Endowment. Lazar Muhammad Khalil Shwani from the team stated that: when they were covering a news conference of Ministry of Endowment, unlike the other ministries, they were not allowed to continue their work.

·       On 2nd of April, before the hospital of Mawat district of Sulaymaniyah province, a man attacked KNN team, Shahen Wahab and Muhammad Barzinji, and the camera of team was broken and the cameraman transferred to hospital due to wounds he received.

·       On 2nd of April, before the hospital of Mawat district of Sulaymaniyah province Rudaw team was attacked, Rebin Jalal and Peshawa Bakhtyar, their camera and its stand were broken.

·       On 2nd of April, before the hospital of Mawat district of Sulaymaniyah province Westga news team was attacked.

·       On 3rd of April, in Erbil, ministry of endowment did not allow media teams of Anadol, NRT and Zhyan, (Abdo Rostayee, Zozg Balak, Umed Chomani, Najim aldin Sidiq, Karzan Muhammad, Hemin Husen) to cover the news conference of the committee to track moon appearance.

·       On 4th April, in Dohuk, journalists, Zhyan Abas and Hogir Sharif, were not allowed to cover gasoline crisis in the city.

·       On 5th of April, in Jadaa camp in south of Mosul, a number of unknown armed peope attacked Rudaw team, Hunar Rashid, and seized their camera and tools and treat them rudely. The security forces returned the media materials to the team following contact with governor of Ninawa.

·       On 6th of April, in the Sihelan area of Dohuk province, a security force seized the media materials of Gavnews, Mevan Majid.

·       On 4th of April, In Saed Sadiq district, a gasoline station worker did not allow KNN TV team, Abubakir Husen and Isa San, to cover distribution benzene from Baghdad.

·       On 10th of April, in Zakho district, fans attack reporter and cameraman of NRT TV and did not allow them to cover the violence occurred in the match between Zakho and Herish teams and broke their tools.

·       On 17th and 22nd of April, in the town of Shiladize of Dohuk province, NRT TV reporter, Nihad Ismael, was not allowed to cover the damages of Turkish army bombardment of the area and he also was now allowed to cover the bombardment damages in the next day.

·       On 22nd of April, in Zakho stadium, fans attacked reporter and cameraman of NRT TV.

·       On 24th of April, in Erbil, two teams of KNN TV, Rebaz Majid, Majid Majdo, Abdulwahab Ahmed and Ayub Ali, were attacked while covering protests of retirees.

·       On 24th of April, in Erbil, a security force attacked reporter of Paragraph, Farman Sadiq.

·       On 26th of April, a security team attacked the team of Esta media, Dyar Husen and Hangaw Nino, while covering demonstrations against Turkish invasion before UN headquarters in Erbil.

·       On 1st of May, a security force arrest NRT and Kirkuk TV teams, Yusif Murad, Dyar Muhammad, Ali Baghdadi, Umed Chomani and Najim al-din Sadiq, while covering the missile attack on Kawir Gosk refinery in Erbil province. And they were freed after their filmed footages were erased.

·       On 5th of May, a security force in Sihela area of Dohuk province did not allow a team of Gavnews website, Mevan Majid and Abdulkhaliq Majid, and seized their tools.

·       On 11th of May, reporter of NRT TV, Herish Qadir, was not allowed to attend news conference of government.

·       On 18th of May, in Dohuk, teams of Speda TV, Isra Muslih, Biwar Mustafa, Muhammad Husen and Azad Saadi, were not allowed to cover graduation ceremony of Dohuk University.

·       On 18th of May, in Sulaymaniyah city, a team of Kurdistan24 TV, Dyar Jamal and Karwan Biyara, was attacked by supporters of a political party from northern Kurdistan when they were reporting on killing of a restaurant owner and their tools were broken.

·       On 20th of May, in Erbil, NRT TV live coverage was forced to stop while covering the way retirees were receiving their pensions in a bank in the city. In the live coverage a security forces personnel comes before the camera and forcing the reporter to leave the area.

·       On 24th of May, there was a missile attack on an office of broadcast of a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) media channel in Bekher mountain which lies between Dohuk and Zakho in which heavy damage inflicted upon the building and the tools. Each of (Radio Dohuk, Dohuk TV, Zakho Radio and Dalal TV) and some other radio and TV stations are broadcasting their programs to that area.

·       On 25th of May, in Sulaymaniyah, a security force did not allow a team of Sharpress, upon a request of Sulaymaniyah Traffic Police, to follow up a statement by Iraqi government.

·       On 30th of May, before Education Directorate of Dohuk, NRT team, Ahmed Zikri and Tayf Goran, were not allowed to cover news conference of lecturing teachers.

·       On 31st of May, in Erbil, NRT TV team, Hersih Qadir and Ahmed Muhammad, were not allowed to cover news conference of coordinator of international reports of KRG.

·       On 31st of May, in Dohuk, a security force did not allow Speda channel, Yusif Muhamad and Hajar Salman, to cover gathering of lecturing teachers before the education directorate of the city.

·       On 8th of June, after a bombed-drone landed on the road between Erbil and Pirmam, media channels were not allowed to cover the incident in that area. And even reporter of Westga news, Nabaz Rashad, was beaten and the teams of, Estanews, NRT, Gali Kurdistan, Kurdistan TV, Paragraph, Rudaw, Kurdistan24 and KNN) were not allowed to cover the incident and their media tools were seized.

·       On 8th of June, in Mamostayan quarter in Erbil, NRT TV team, Murad Ahmed and Burhan Abdulla, were not allowed to cover the quarter’s protesters.

·       On 12th of June, in Dohuk, both journalists Hemin Ibrahim and Bryar Haji were not allowed to use camera and microphones in the demonstration by security forces because it does not have permission.

·       On 17th of June, in Sulaymaniyah, some supporters of a party of northern Kurdistan attacked reporter of Kurdistan TV, Muhamad Salih Aziz.

·       On 21st of July, in Erbil, NRT TV team, Herish Qadir and Ahmed Muhammad, were not allowed to cover sending back bodies of victims of Zakho bombardment.

·       On 21st of June, in Shekhan district, a force did not allow reporter of NRT TV, Sabah Yusif, to cover damages caused by a missile and he was beaten by bat of an AK47.  

·       On 26th of July, in Erbil, NRT TV team, Herish Qadir and Ahmed Muhammad, were not allowed news conference of both electricity ministers of the Kurdistan region and Iraq.

·       On 7th of July, before Hamreen Bank in Erbil, the bank’s guards threatened team of Speda TV, Shabaz Abdulla and Zhyar Hamza, of beating and breaking their microphones if they would not leave the area. The team was covering the process of distributing salaries.

·       On 22nd of July, during a raid of security forces on Shary Jwan hotel in Sulaymaniyah, Rudaw TV team, Peshawa Bakhtyar and Rebeen Jalal, were not allowed to cover the incident and their camera and tools were seized. They received back their camera and tools after one week.

·       On 28th of June, in Bardarash camp, NRT TV team, Sabah Yusif, was not allowed to enter the camp for covering incident of fire breakout in the camp. At a time, most of the other media teams were inside the camp covering the incident.

·       On 5th of July, before agricultural bank in Sulaymaniyah, Zezyuz reporter was not allowed to cover the process of distribution of salaries.

·       On 12th of July, in Dohuk, team of Speda TV, Azad Saadi and Hajar Salman, were not allowed to enter Kwashe area for coverning the protest gathering of part of the factories’ owners.

·       On 12th of July, in Zakho district, reporter and cameraman of NRT TV, Wahid Nimat and Habaz Nimat, were not allowed to cover the demonstration of taxi drivers and their tools seized.

·       On 18th of July, an electronic attack was conducted against the main page of Diplomatic media institution aiming at erasing of the reports on corruption.

·       On 26th of July, in Sulaymaniyah, the New Terminal’s company’s guards did not allow Speda TV team, Bestoon Muhammad and Ayub Lattif, to cover the issues of the terminal.

·       On 1st of August, NRT TV reporter, Karzan Tariq and cameraman, Chenar Ahmed were arrested in Sulaymaniyah, then freed at late night.

·       On 5th of August, a security force arrested NRT TV reporters Tayf Goran, Bryar Nerway and Sabah Sofi before the TV’s office in Dohuk and seized their media tools.

·       On 5th of August, in Dohuk, NRT TV reporters Tayf Goran and Bryar Nerway were arrested before the TV’s office and their media tools were seized.

·       On 6th August, a security force in Erbil arrested KNN TV reporter Ayub Warte before the date of the demonstrations in Kurdistan Region.

·       On 6th of August, a security force in Dohuk closed the office of Rastnews office.

·       On 6th of August, in Sulaymaniyah, manager of Kurd News, Abdulla Ahmed, was arrested in his house.

·       On 6th of August, in Erbil, reporters of NRT TV, Rizgar Kochar, Umed Chomani and Herish Qadir were arrested.

·       On 6th of August, in the town of Chamchamal, a security force arrested NRT TV reporters Dyar Muhammad and Soran Muhammad and the cameraman Mahmud Rizgar during covering demonstrations in the town.

·       On 6th of August, in Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, editor-in-chief of Westga News, Sirwan Gharib, and his team, Zanyar Mariwan, Hevar Hiwa and Arkan Abdulqadir were arrested.

·       On Saturday, 6th of August, in the Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, the security forces arrested Diplomatic website reporter Zhilya Ali and cameraman Azhi Abdulqadir.

·       On 6th of August, in Kalar district, security forces arrested Radio Dang reporter Muhammad Mahmudi.

·       On 6th of August, in Kalar district, security forces did not allow reporter of Fourth Power website reporter and seized his media tools.

·       On 6th of August, in Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, Sinur Karim and Muhammad Nawzad were arrested and their media tools were seized.

·       On 6th of August, in Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, Rachilakin website reporter Ibrahim Fatah was not allowed by security forces and his media tools were seized.

·       On 6th of August, in Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, security forces did not allow cameraman of BM channel and seized his media tools and another team of the channel, Dinya Majid and Omar Diler, had their media tools seized.

·       On 6th of August, in Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, security forces did not allow Mike team, Kanar Azad and Marwan Ali, seized their media tools.

·       On 6th of August, in Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, security forces did not allow cameraman of Khandan website, Koras Numan, and seized their media tools.

·       On 6th of August, NRT TV journalist, Herish Qadir, was threatened via a Korek phone number, the number is kept by Metro Center. At the same time, a force raided his house in Erbil which forced his family to leave their house.

·       On 6th of August, in Sara square of Sulaymaniyah, each of Zhina Satar, Muhammad Jalal, Lanya Bakhtyar and Hawraz Ahmed had lost their vision shortly because of tear gas.

·       On 6th of August, in Saed Sadiq town, the reporter of Westga News had lost his eyes’ sight shortly because of tear gas.

·       On 6th of August, in Mamostayan quarter in Erbil, two teams of NRT TV were not allowed to cover protests of the quarter’s residents.

·       On 6th of August, in Kalakchi, a security force arrested NRT TV reporter, Sabah Yusif, for 10 hours then took him to a security forces’ base in Dohuk and was investigated with and had his mobile been checked then freed him.

·       On 6th of August, in Dohuk, Sharpress reporter, Marwan Yahya, was not allowed.

·       On 6th of August, on Shawaysi road in Erbil, Wesganews reporter was arrested for 40 minutes and was not allowed to cover damages caused by drone attack on the area and his media tools were broken.

·       On 7th of August, NRT TV presenter, Muhammad Rahim, cameraman, Bryar Ali and the team’s driver, Shivan Othman, were arrested by a security force in Sulaymaniyah.

·       On 16th of August, in Sami Abdulrahman Park in Erbil, Westganews reporter, Nabaz Rashad was not allowed.

·       On 20th of August, in Salim Street of Sulaymaniyah, media tools of Politic Press were seized.

·       On 27th of August, in Zakho district of Dohuk, a number of unknown people threaten to "cut tongue” of journalist, Nizar Talat Ahmed.

·       On 29th of August, the quarter’s council did not allow NRT TV team while covering protests of Minara quarter in Erbil although the landowners asked for permitting the NRT TV coverage.

·       On 29th of August, in Erbil, a man shouts at journalists to leave the area calling them disrupters during a gathering before Council of Ministers.

·       On 31st of August, a man in uniform did not allow Speda TV team, Irfan Ahmed and Mukhtar Habib, to cover the gathering of a group of health sector volunteers of the city and forced the team to halt the broadcast.

·       On 1st of September, in Dohuk, Gavnews team was not allowed to cover protests of drivers.

·       On 4th of September, in the town of Halabjah, a security force seized mobile phone of reporter of Wisha during a protest gathering.

·       On 4th of September, in the town of Halabjah, the security forces did not allow some media channels, Kurdsat, Speda, NRT, Gali Kurdistan, Kurdistan24 and Wisha mobile, to cover gathering of volunteers of the town and seized their tools.

·       On 5th of September, in Khalifan sub-district of Soran independent administration, a security force arrested NRT TV reporter for 15 hours and forced him to fill a promissory note vowing not to come back to the area.

·       On 7th of September, fans attacked cameraman of Rega website, Zana Khalid, during a match between Erbil and Zanko clubs in the last game of girls’ handball in Iraq. 

·       On 8thof September 2022, an unknown force did not allow Rudaw team and arrested them shortly during a coverage in Directorate of Cadastre of Chamchamal and their memory card of their camera was seized. The team included cameraman, Harem Burhan and Rudaw driver, Dyar Rizgar.

·       On 14th of September, NRT TV team, Umed Chomani and Soran Ahmed, were not allow to attend a conference of Erbil Traffic Police Directorate as part of a campaign aiming at seizing motorcycles.

·       On 17th of September, NRT reporter, Rizgar Kochar, was not allowed to continue a live coverage inside a popular bazar in Erbil.

·       On 17th of September, a security force in ChwarChra quarter in Sulaymaniyah, Rozhnews and Chatr Company media teams, Brwa Asad, Botan Garmyani and Muhammad Azizi, were arrested.

·       On 18th of September, in Zakho district of Dohuk province, a security force did not allow Speda TV team, Barzan Hassan and Mushir Ahmed, to cover a gathering over lack of services.

·       On 18th of September, in Zakho district of Dohuk province, a security force did not allow NRT team, Wahid Niamat and Shabaz Niamat, to cover a gathering over lack of services.

·       On 20th of September, in Batele sub-district, a man attacked NRT reporter, Wahid Niamat.

·       On 24th of September, in Erbil, a security force attack reporter of Westga News, Nabaz Rashad, and seized his tools during gathering before UNAMI office.

·       On 28th of September, in Salim Street of Sulaymaniyah, a security force attacked reporter of Kurdistan24, Nyan Barzan, and cameraman and seized their tools during a protest against Iranian bombardment of the areas in Kurdistan Region.

·       On 28th of September, before mayor’s house in Dohuk, Speda TV team, Azad Saadi and Hajar Salman, were not allowed to cover gathering of bakeries owners and forced them to erase photos they took. Badinan Sat, KNN and Payam TVs were also not allowed to cover the gathering.

·       On 1st of October, a security force attacked Speda TV team, Yusif Mahmud and Hajar Salman, and did not allow them to cover the ceremony of awarding prizes by International Peace Organization.

·       On 1st of October, security forces in Soran town did not allow Speda TV team, Yunis Muhammad, to cover gathering of students of 26th Gulan school.

·       On 7th of October, in Erbil, a security force attacked reporter of Westga News, Nabaz Rashad, and seized his tools.

·       On 7th of October, in Sarbasti quarter in Erbil, a planted bomb detonated at a car of Toyota Prado type, the security forces attacked Rudaw cameraman, Ahmed Yunis and Farhad Dolamari, and harmed them.

·       On 7th of October, in Sarbasti quarter in Erbil, Ranj Rahman, Kurdsat reporter, told Metro that "There were people taking photos and they were not journalists, then they told us that taking photos is not allowed” stressing that” the security forces do not mark the location of the incidents with red tapes in order to let us know our boundaries”.

·       On 9th of October, Bwar News team, Sartip Waisi and Ibrahim Ali, while they were on their way back to Erbil from Sulaymaniyah, a security force arrested them and freed them on 15th of October.

·       On 12th of November, in groceries house in Sulaymaniyah, Rudaw team, Peshawa Bakhtyar and Mariwan Ali, were not allowed to cover fire breakout in the place by shop owners and tradesmen.

·       On 14th of October, in Zirgwez area of Sulaymaniyah province, security forces did not allow Rudaw team, Peshawa Bakhtyar and Soran Salih, to cover the scenes of bombardment of bases of parties of eastern Kurdistan and seized their tools.

·       On 19th of October, a security force arrested director and cameraman of production team at Metro Center, Zana Nawzad and Ziring Rahim, during filming on main road between Sulaymaniyah and Qaradagh area, and held them in security directorate prison until 20th of October.

·       On 24th of October, in Erbil, a security force attacked reporter of Westga News, Nabaz Rashad, while covering fire breakout in downtown stores.

·       On 29th of October, in Sulaymaniyah, reporter of Wisha, Hoshyar Ali, was arrested then freed after 24-hour stay in security office custody.

·       On 2nd of November, in Dohuk, SharPress reporter, Marwan Yahya, was not allowed to take photos inside the city and then was under arrest at a hotel.

·       On 12th of November, the guards of Cristal Hotel in Erbil attacked reporter of Zagros TV, Mustafa Salman, during a fire breakout in the restaurant of the hotel and did not allow cameraman of Zoom, Yusif Farsi, to film the incident.

·       On 13th of November, around the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Political Bureau headquarters in Sulaymaniyah, some groups which did not wear any security or police forces’ badges attacked KNN TV reporter, Bryar Namiq, and seized live broadcast tools.

·       On 13th of November, a force in civic uniform attacked Westga News team and arrested its members and seized their tools. Cameraman of the team, Zanyar Mariwani, was forced into a vehicle for half an hour. Meanwhile, a interior security force in the same location forced reporter of Westga News, Lanya Bakhtyar, into their vehicle and took them to an alley behind Sulaymaniyah Court telling them that they can go.

·       On 22nd of November, before Sulaymaniyah University, a number of students held a gathering and blocked the main road of the city calling for their bursary. The teams of Kurdsat, Rudaw, Payam, Nasnews, Politic Press, Speda, Rachalakin and Khandan were harmed and were not allowed to cover the gathering.

·       On 23rd of October, on the raod between Amedi and Deralook checkpoints, the checkpoint’s security did not allow NRT TV team, Tayf Goran, Ahmed Zikri, Hadi Muhammad, to speak to families of Badinan arrested people.

·       On 26th of November, a security force arrested journalist, Rawa Burhan, for charges over running an unidentified webpage and he was bailed on 14th of December.

·       On 25th of October, in Batifa district, a security team of the district arrested NRT TV team, Wahid Sindi and Shahbaz Niamat, for half an hour and seized their tools and erased what they had recorded while making a report on distribution of gas.

·       On 28th of October, before Dohuk University, Speda TV team, Azad Saadi and Hajar Salman, were not allowed to cover an activity.

·       On 4th of November, in Dohuk, KNN reporter, Masoud Hadi, was not allow to go into a live broadcast.

·       On 6th of December, the TV teams of, NRT, Payam, Speda, KNN and Media Zan, were not allowed to pass the checkpoint to cover the ceremony of making the town of Sidakan a district although the teams were officially invited by Soran Independent Administration to the ceremony. The teams’ members were: Azad Omarawayee-Payam reporter, Abdo Rosatyee-KNN reporter, Yunis Muhammad-Speda reporter, Aso Warty-Media Zan website reporter, Abdulwahid Mushir-KNN cameraman)

·       On 7th of December, in Kwashe area of Dohuk, Speda TV team, Azad Saadi and Hajar Salman, were not allowed to cover protest gathering of the firms in that area.

·       On 9th of December, before the Directorate of Cadastre of Chamchamal of Garmyan administration, a security force did not allow Kurdistan24 TV team, Aram Bakhtyar, Barham Jamal and Soran Hakim-a driver, and detained them for some time and their media tools were seized.

·       On 11th of December, a security forces personnel of Dohuk seized mobile phone of NRT TV team, Tayf Goran and Hemin Ibrahim, and returned back to them after three days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



PM:09:08:17/01/2023




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