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Reporters without Borders criticise
Kurdistan government for banning reporters from
visiting PKK bases
21.11.2007
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November
21, 2007
Reporters Without Borders on Tuesday urged the
Kurdistan regional government in 'northern Iraq' to
lift a ban on journalists visiting the bases of the
Turkish armed separatist group, the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK). It also called for the release
of a correspondent of the satellite TV station
Kolsat who was arrested on Monday in Mosul, 80 km
west of Erbil, the Kurdistan capital.
“Kurdistan is one of few regions in Iraq where local
and foreign journalists can move about freely
without constant risk to their lives,” the press
freedom organisation said. “This ban is a serious
violation of their ability to report on the clashes
in Iraq between the PKK’s fighters and the Turkish
army. The regional government in Erbil and the
national government in Baghdad must stop blaming
journalists for crises.” www.ekurd.net
The Kurdish regional government yesterday banned
journalists from going to meet PKK combatants who
have found refuge in the Qandil mountains on the
border between Iraq and Turkey. Kurdistan Regional
Government spokesman Jamal Abdullah said “media
reports have led to an acceleration of the crisis
with Turkey.”
The Iraqi Journalistic Freedoms Observatory said
several journalists were arrested near the Turkish
border as a result of the regional government’s
decision.
In a separate development, Fayçal Ghazala, the
correspondent of the satellite TV station Kolsat,
was arrested yesterday at his home near Mosul by
Kurdish security forces and could face charges of
“terrorist activity.” He is reportedly being held in
the Duhok police station.
rsf org
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