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RWB: Press freedom situation continues to
deteriorate in Iraqi Kurdistan
27.12.2007
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December
27, 2007
Reporters Without Borders on Thursday welcomed the
release of Faisal Abbas Ghazala, the correspondent
of the satellite TV station Kolsat, on 21 December
after more than a month in detention in Mosul,
but called on the Kurdistan regional government to
show greater care and moderation in its measures
affecting the news media.
Mosul city, lies in northwest Iraq, south border of
the Kurdistan autonomous region
“Journalists are being subjected to more and more
restrictions in Iraqi Kurdistan, which was until now
regarded as a haven of peace and safety for the
press,” the organisation said. “The regional
government has used the recent clashes between the
Turkish army and PKK rebels based in Iraq to
restrict journalists’ movements and activities. The
draft press law recently adopted by the Kurdish
parliament would, if ratified by President Barzani,
be a very retrograde step.”
Accused of terrorism, Ghazala, 34, spent a total of
31 days detained in different locations. He was
arrested by Kurdish security forces who stormed into
his home in Mosul early in the morning of 19
November and dragged from his bed. He was held in
two different police stations before being
transferred to Duhok prison in Kurdistan region near
Mosul.
Ghazala told Reporters Without Borders he did not
understand why he had been targeted. “They entered
my home with an arrest warrant without taking the
trouble to send me a previous summons, to which I
would have definitely responded,”www.ekurd.net
he said. “They then held
me for more than 30 days without being able to
charge me. Iraqi journalists not only have to endure
violence from militias and armed groups but also
state terrorism.”
While held, Ghazala was questioned by his coverage
of bombings that had taken place in the region.
On 19 November, the Kurdistan regional government
banned journalists from going to meet PKK rebels who
have found refuge in the Qandil mountains on the
border between Iraq and Turkey. The Euphrates News
Agency (FHA) reported that Kurdish Prime Minister
Nechirvan Barzani met with media representatives a
few days later and asked them not to publish
articles “running counter to Turkish interests.”
On 11 December, the Kurdish national assembly voted
a new draft law introducing heavy fines and prison
sentences for press offences. The law has to be
ratified by Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani in
order to take effect. The president told
representatives of the Kurdish Union of Journalist
that he was going to reject the law and would ask
parliament to amend it. But for the time being,
nothing has been decided.
rsf org
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