Press freedom watchdog condemns Rojava decision to close Kurdistan 24 office
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — An international press freedom watchdog on Monday condemned a decision by Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria to shut down the offices of Kurdistan 24 media outlet.
“The decision by local authorities in northeastern Syria to revoke the license of Kurdistan 24 and shutter its offices amounts to censorship and is a harsh restriction on those reporting the news from the region,” said Ignacio Miguel Delgado, Middle East and North Africa representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists.
“If the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria wants to be taken as a legitimate authority, officials should immediately reverse this decision and learn to tolerate criticism and diverse viewpoints in the media,” Delgado added.
Kurdistan 24 said security forces from the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Rojava shut down the network’s regional bureau in the city of Qamishli on Sunday.
The Rojava administration in a statement posted on Sunday accused the network of “spreading hate speech and fueling strife,” and claimed Kurdistan 24 promoted conflict between Kurds. The NES also said the network violated Articles 2 and 11 of the media law, which governs “moral principles.”
The Kurdish Syrian Journalists Network said reporter Kamiran Sadoun was detained and raised concerns he was tortured and subjected to abuse, Kurdistan 24 said. The network’s office in Rojava was also closed temporarily in 2019.
“The decision by local authorities in northeastern Syria to revoke the license of Kurdistan 24 and shutter its offices amounts to censorship and is a harsh restriction on those reporting the news from the region,” said Ignacio Miguel Delgado, Middle East and North Africa representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists.
“If the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria wants to be taken as a legitimate authority, officials should immediately reverse this decision and learn to tolerate criticism and diverse viewpoints in the media,” Delgado added.
Kurdistan 24 said security forces from the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Rojava shut down the network’s regional bureau in the city of Qamishli on Sunday.
The Rojava administration in a statement posted on Sunday accused the network of “spreading hate speech and fueling strife,” and claimed Kurdistan 24 promoted conflict between Kurds. The NES also said the network violated Articles 2 and 11 of the media law, which governs “moral principles.”
The Kurdish Syrian Journalists Network said reporter Kamiran Sadoun was detained and raised concerns he was tortured and subjected to abuse, Kurdistan 24 said. The network’s office in Rojava was also closed temporarily in 2019.