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Iraqi Kurdistan: Parties in ruling
coalition agree to gag the press
6.5.2010 |
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May 6, 2010
PARIS, —
Reporters Without Borders believes that the
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union
of Kurdistan (PUK), the two parties that control
Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region, have reached a
“tacit strategic accord” to restrict the freedom of
journalists as much as possible. “Anything goes for
the KDP and the PUK as far as muzzling the press is
concerned,” the press freedom organisation said.
The security forces operated by these two parties do
not hesitate to use force to prevent journalists
from covering street demonstrations. Media have been
excluded from the Kurdish parliament by its speaker.
The parties have managed to have journalists fired
if they question their policies and the authorities
often summon journalists for interrogation.
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File photo |
Many reports and op-ed
pieces have been published in which Kurdish
journalists and intellectuals are unanimous in
voicing their concern about the current situation
and their determination to defend press freedom.
Parliamentary speaker Kemal Kerkuki has been
preventing journalists from entering parliament and
filming its sessions. On 5 April, for example,
police refused to let reporter Awara Hameedof the
Movement for Change radio station, Gorran Radio,
into the parliamentary chamber to cover the annual
budget debate. Hameed said it was because he was an
opposition journalist.
Any criticism severely
punished
Kamal Rauf, the editor of the newspaper Hawlati, was
summoned by the police on 28 April for publishing an
article about the lack of services in a small town.
After being interrogated for five hours, he was
released on payment of 1 million dinars (652 euros)
in bail.
Fuad Sadiqwas fired as editor of the pro-KDP weekly
Gullanfor publishing a report in issue 774 in early
April that criticised PUK member Barham Salih’s
eight months as Kurdistan’s prime minister. A
journalist told Reporters Without Borders: “Fuad’s
dismissal was purely political. Barham Salih asked
Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani, who heads of
the PDK, to fire him.”
Journalist, poet and judge Hakim Qubadi Jali Zadawas
relieved from his position as a judge in the city of
Sulaimaniyah after writing an article criticising
Kurdistan’s judicial system for issue 364 of the
newspaper Hawal in February. On 18 March, he was
forced to go and take a post as judge in Chamchamal,
a town 80 km southwest of Sulaymaniyah.
Physical and verbal attacks
Journalists in Kurdistan are constantly exposed to
both verbal and physical violence.
Several journalists were attacked and threatened
while covering a student demonstration on 20 April,
two days before Kurdish press freedom day. The
victims included Soran Ahmed of Hawlati, Shkar
Mu’tasam of Rojname (a Movement for Change
newspaper), Aso Khalil of Jiyar Magazine and Hawzhin
Ghareebof the weekly Chatr. Mu’tasam was slapped in
the face.
Police and members of the KDP and PUK security
forces used violence against the journalists (mostly
working for independent or opposition media) who
went to cover a student protest against various
Kurdish education ministry decisions on 17 April.
Journalists said they were insulted and beaten and
cameras were confiscated. “Four armed men leapt on
me and beat me,” said Safin Ismael, a photographer
for the daily Aso.
Three TV cameras were smashed. Reporter Wrya
Hosseinof the satellite TV station Payamsaid: “All
we were doing was film the demonstration,” he said.
“We do not understand what happened. They took our
camera and smashed it with a baton.” The same thing
happened to a crew with the Iranian satellite TV
station Sahar. “The security forces were so
violent,” said Sahar reporter Kamal Nuri. “They hit
our cameraman, Srusht Sazan, and broke his camera.”
Crews working for the satellite TV station Speeda,
the local TV station Azadiand the TV station
Traitorwas prevented from filming on the day of the
protest. Azadi reporter Zryan Mohamedsaid: “This is
the first time we such violence unleashed by the
police and the security forces of the two political
parties.”
Journalists were harassed during a visit by Prime
Minister Salih to the province of Kalar on 15 April.
Shukr Ahmed Tofiq of Azadiwas insulted and slapped
in the face by the prime minister’s bodyguards and
his camera was broken.
The previous day, Omar Fars, the editor of the
Kurdistannetnews website, was attacked and prevented
from taking photos in the town of Kalar (140 km west
of Sulaimaniyah).
Both journalists and parliamentarians have called
for an end to the impunity enjoyed by the KDP and
PUK security forces. “There is nothing legal about
these security forces – they belong to political
parties,” said Zana Rauf, who represents the
Movement for Change in the Kurdish parliament.
Referring to the Zaniyari (the PUK intelligence
services) and the Parastn (the KDP protection
services) by name, Rauf added: The Zaniyari and
Parastn and the anti-riot forces are all illegal but
there is no political will to change this stage of
affairs.” Rahman Ghareeb,www.ekurd.neta
freelance journalist and coordinator of the Metro
Centre for the Protection Journalists in Iraqi
Kurdistan condemned these cases of violence on his
organisation’s behalf.
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...
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