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Kurdistan President Barzani welcomes CPJ
report and reiterates support for free press
5.5.2008
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May 5, 2008
Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region, 'Iraq',--
Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani Saturday
met members of the Committee to Protect Journalists
(CPJ) and welcomed their recent report on freedom of
press in the Kurdistan Region.
The President said to members of the CPJ that while
he recognized some shortcomings, the press in the
Kurdistan Region is free and should work to
professional standards.
President Barzani and his Chief of Staff Dr Fuad
Hussein met representatives of the New-York based
NGO to discuss its recent report on the state of
journalism in the Kurdistan Region. The delegation
included Michael Massing, a Director of the CPJ;
Joel Campagna Middle East and North Africa Senior
Programme Coordinator; and Robert Mahoney, Deputy
Director. |
Massoud Barzani, the President of the autonomous Regional
Government of Kurdistan 'Iraq' (R) and Michael
Massing of CPJ |
The President thanked the CPJ for its report. He
said, “The Kurdistan Region has made significant
steps to achieving greater liberties. Our long
struggle in the past was for freedom not just for
journalists but for all the citizens of Kurdistan.
We don't claim to have no shortcomings and we know
that we need to go through many stages in the
evolution towards complete freedom. I think that the
press is free now, and we need a law to regulate the
profession of journalism.”
President Barzani in December referred back to
parliament a new media law, asking MPs to reconsider
it. He said to the CPJ delegation, “Referring back
the recent bill shows that we want freedom of the
press. We don’t want to put restrictions on
journalists,www.ekurd.net
and at the same time
journalists also have to be committed to their
profession’s principles and to proper ethics. Don’t
forget the environment in which we live, and the
culture of persecution of the former Ba’ath regime
that unfortunately has left its mark on Kurdish
society.
“I think the bill which the Kurdistan National
Assembly is currently discussing should set clear
guidelines for journalists. Professional journalism
is more than just being able to write. We regard
journalism as a respected profession, journalists
must respect it too and not allow themselves to be
used as a tool by others or resort to defamation to
serve a particular agenda. Journalists are free to
criticize, but their criticism should be
constructive and not defamatory.”
He added, “Personally I believe that the press
should be completely free, but journalists should be
understanding of the situation in which we live.
Compared to the US or Europe we have a long way to
go; but compared to this region and especially
compared with where we were 10 years ago, we have
made a lot of progress and are doing much better.”
The President and the CPJ also discussed other
countries’ press regulations and sanctions. The CPJ
confirmed that in most jurisdictions journalists
could face sanctions or lawsuits under civil law.
The NGO representatives said that the Kurdistan
Region has taken some positive steps towards greater
freedoms.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
Kurdistan Region Presidency, krp org
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