Metro.Sulaimani.hevi khalid
In a statement issued on (26 /1 /2015) for Metro Center for Defending Journalist Rights, PM, Soran Omar, The Chairman of Human Rights Committee of the Parliament of Kurdistan Region announced that his committee is investigating allegations of violations that journalists in Kurdistan were subjected to by security forces. The violation incidents were documented and published in the annual report of Metro Center for Defending Journalist Rights.
The Metro annual report that was published on January 17th , documented 107 various violations and crimes against journalists in Kurdistan, including bodily harm, verbal abuse, unlawful detention, and prevention from journalistic work.
PM Soran, the chairman pointed out "Journalists look forward to law enforcement to protect them from violations, yet most of the violations, that are documented in the report, are perpetrated by those whose jobs are to enforce the laws.” He continued in the statement: "The Law of Journalistic Work provides rights and protections to journalists. It contains an article that considers any assault on journalists as an assault on public workers on duty. Therefore the punishment prescribed in the Law for such violations is strict. Yet, unfortunately the government does not abide by this law most of the time. It commits punishable offences against journalist rights.” The chairman continued "These violations put Kurdistan Region on the international organizations’ list of violators of Human Rights. It is damaging to Kurdistan Region’s reputation, and belittles the fact that progress is been made in other areas.”
The chairman assured the public that his committee is fully focused on Human Rights and Journalist Rights, and will investigate all the files mentioned in Metro’s annual report. He also promised to pressure all related parties to bring violators under formal legal investigations.
On behalf of Metro Center for Defending Journalist Rights, Mr. Rahman Gharib, Metro’s Coordinator, said: "Welcome this important statement and hope that it contributes to the common goal of bringing an end to violations of the laws.” Rahman Gharib continued "We ask for everybody’s support in nurturing the Kurdish media, and empowering journalists in their work to bring news and information to public professionally and freely.”