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Kurdistan Security Agency defends arrest
of former Kurdish Journalist Karzan Karim
14.8.2012
By Ekurd.net staff writers |
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August 14, 2012
ERBIL-Hewlęr, Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — The
Kurdistan Security Agency released a statement last
Wednesday, saying that charges filed against Mr
Karzan Karim Muhammad, an KSA employee, had nothing to do
with articles he published on corruption in
Kurdistan on the internet.
Karzan Karim is one of KSA's employees assigned to
the VIP lounge of Erbil International Airport (EIA)
as a security officer. He was charged "for
misconduct and breach of trust as a security
officer".
"The authorities in Kurdistan presented supporting
evidence to a judge, who issued an arrest warrant
for Mr Karim. Pursuant to the laws of Kurdistan, Mr
Karim is provided with the normal protection
afforded to those in custody," the KRG statement
said.
Karzan Karim had worked as journalist and reporter
for Aknews agency in Erbil. Mr. Karim charged with
communicating with the independent Kurdish website
KurdistanPost.com, and supplied the site with
information about the existence of cases of
financial corruption in Erbil International Airport.
A number of journalists and personalities in Erbil
on Sunday Aug.12, protested against the charges
against Karzan Karim by Kurdistan Security Agency,
and issued a statement affirming their condemnation
of those accusations.
The statement added that "the accusations to Karazan
Karim sets off alarm bells of manipulating the law,
the judiciary and the rights of journalists in
Kurdistan region. Karim can not be charged in
accordance with Article 21 of the Anti-Terrorism
Act, the fact that Karim did not commit crimes rise
to the level of terrorism as we understand
terrorism"
Kurdistan Security Agency's
Statement regarding charges filed against Mr Karzan
Karim, an employee of the Kurdistan Region Security
Agency
Statement by Kurdistan Security Agency
8 August 2012
The Kurdistan Security Agency has filed charges
against Mr Karzan Karim, one of its employees
assigned to the VIP lounge of Erbil International
Airport (EIA) as a security officer, for misconduct
and breach of trust as a security officer.
The ongoing investigation against him is based on
his conduct as an officer of the region’s security
agency, and we call on those reporting on this case
to understand the charges and not distort the facts.
According to the regulations of the Kurdistan Region
Security Agency, which are similar to those of other
agencies across the world, all employees of the
agency should abide by and conform to its policies
and regulations to ensure the well-being of our
people and the reputation and credibility of the
organisation. Suspicious behaviour, concerns and
complaints should be raised through appropriate
channels and the correct line of management within
the organisation, while unethical behaviour should
be avoided.
Following an act of misconduct and a breach of trust
on the part of Mr Karim as a security officer, the
authorities in Kurdistan presented supporting
evidence to a judge, who issued an arrest warrant
for Mr Karim. Pursuant to the laws of Kurdistan, Mr
Karim is provided with the normal protection
afforded to those in custody.
However, the Kurdistan Regional Government has been
accused of filing charges against Mr Karim due to
his reporting activities on the internet and for
posting critical articles about corruption.
There are hundreds of articles published daily in
Kurdistan that are critical of the authorities and
the leadership without any fear of retribution due
to the freedoms journalists enjoy under the
Journalism Law. This law provides protection for the
work and freedoms of journalists in Kurdistan.
The Kurdistan Regional Government stresses that the
case against Mr Karim is related to his conduct as
an officer of the security agency and his failure to
conform to the policies and regulations of the
agency while in post.
The Kurdistan Regional Government calls on those
following or reporting this case not to distort or
misrepresent the facts. The courts will investigate
the charges against Mr Karim and they will issue
their ruling accordingly.
Kurdistan Security Agency, 8 August 2012
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