ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region president and prime minister on Monday commemorated Kurdish Journalism Day, emphasizing the need for creating a safe and supportive environment for journalists in the Region.
Monday marks the anniversary of the publication of the first issue of "Kurdistan," the first Kurdish-language newspaper in history. Issued in Cairo, Egypt by renowned literary figure Miqdad Medhat Baderkhan in 1898, the issue was written in the Kurmanji dialect. A total of 31 issues of the newspaper were published in the span of four years.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani honored the 126th anniversary of the newspaper’s publication, and reaffirmed his support for freedom of the press in the Region.
“On this occasion, I wish to emphasize the importance of creating a supportive environment for media professionals. It is crucial to ensure that journalists have unrestricted access to information sources, free from any form of discrimination, restrictions, or censorship,” said President Barzani.
“I reaffirm my unwavering support for journalists and my firm belief in freedom of the press and expression as the fundamental principle of any democratic and free society,” he added, while also calling on journalists to adhere to journalistic ethics and established laws.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also congratulated Kurdish journalists on the anniversary, expressing his and the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) full support for “true journalism work.”
Freedom of the press in the Kurdistan Region has been critically questioned by local and international media watchdogs, following rights violations including the imprisonment of journalists known for their anti-establishment writing, under charges including “endangering the national security of the Kurdistan Region.”
President Barzani acknowledged the “vital role” of organizations monitoring press freedom in the Kurdistan Region, but stressed that it was “essential” for the cases to be handled in accordance with the established laws governing journalism in the Region.
“It is a pleasure and an honor that journalists in the Kurdistan Region, thanks to the KRG, carry out their profession freely and without any censorship, and they are completely free to criticize and report the government’s shortcomings and violations,” said Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in a statement, hoping that Kurdish journalists remain focused on delivering accurate reporting and defending the Region’s rights.
A total of 249 violations were committed against journalists and media outlets in 2023, according to figures from Metro Center for Journalists Right and Advocacy. At least 37 journalists were arrested without a court order, and at least five were arrested for charges outside the Region’s Press Law, according to the monitor.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in its annual report in January that “vaguely worded laws” have been used in the Kurdistan Region to suppress journalists, activists, and political rivals.
“In many cases, spurious anti-defamation lawsuits are less about proving the individual committed a crime, but rather about using the legal proceedings themselves as a punishment or way to control the activities of the person being charged,” read the HRW report.
The US Consulate in Erbil in February said Washington is concerned about the “recent backsliding” of press freedom in the Kurdistan Region. The KRG quickly denied the accusation, claiming that the diplomatic mission had in fact voiced its appreciation about a “decline” in violations against journalists.
Monday marks the anniversary of the publication of the first issue of "Kurdistan," the first Kurdish-language newspaper in history. Issued in Cairo, Egypt by renowned literary figure Miqdad Medhat Baderkhan in 1898, the issue was written in the Kurmanji dialect. A total of 31 issues of the newspaper were published in the span of four years.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani honored the 126th anniversary of the newspaper’s publication, and reaffirmed his support for freedom of the press in the Region.
“On this occasion, I wish to emphasize the importance of creating a supportive environment for media professionals. It is crucial to ensure that journalists have unrestricted access to information sources, free from any form of discrimination, restrictions, or censorship,” said President Barzani.
“I reaffirm my unwavering support for journalists and my firm belief in freedom of the press and expression as the fundamental principle of any democratic and free society,” he added, while also calling on journalists to adhere to journalistic ethics and established laws.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also congratulated Kurdish journalists on the anniversary, expressing his and the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) full support for “true journalism work.”
Freedom of the press in the Kurdistan Region has been critically questioned by local and international media watchdogs, following rights violations including the imprisonment of journalists known for their anti-establishment writing, under charges including “endangering the national security of the Kurdistan Region.”
President Barzani acknowledged the “vital role” of organizations monitoring press freedom in the Kurdistan Region, but stressed that it was “essential” for the cases to be handled in accordance with the established laws governing journalism in the Region.
“It is a pleasure and an honor that journalists in the Kurdistan Region, thanks to the KRG, carry out their profession freely and without any censorship, and they are completely free to criticize and report the government’s shortcomings and violations,” said Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in a statement, hoping that Kurdish journalists remain focused on delivering accurate reporting and defending the Region’s rights.
A total of 249 violations were committed against journalists and media outlets in 2023, according to figures from Metro Center for Journalists Right and Advocacy. At least 37 journalists were arrested without a court order, and at least five were arrested for charges outside the Region’s Press Law, according to the monitor.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in its annual report in January that “vaguely worded laws” have been used in the Kurdistan Region to suppress journalists, activists, and political rivals.
“In many cases, spurious anti-defamation lawsuits are less about proving the individual committed a crime, but rather about using the legal proceedings themselves as a punishment or way to control the activities of the person being charged,” read the HRW report.
The US Consulate in Erbil in February said Washington is concerned about the “recent backsliding” of press freedom in the Kurdistan Region. The KRG quickly denied the accusation, claiming that the diplomatic mission had in fact voiced its appreciation about a “decline” in violations against journalists.
