Journalism in Kurdistan is declining day by day and journalists are facing threats of killing, assassination, arrest and kidnapping every day, which is evidence that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) are working to restrict the freedom of journalism in Kurdistan.
The closure of Zoom by Bafel Jalal Talabani and the assassination attempt on journalist Hemn Mamand by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Sulaymaniyah show that Kurdistan is no longer a free space for journalism, Especially for the channels and journalists and activists who investigate the corruption cases of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) can no longer speak freely and publish information.
Currently, the PUK’s efforts are in the direction that Sulaymaniyah, like Erbil, does not accept freedom of opinion, and no longer allow free media and journalists to carry out journalistic work of their own free will in Sulaymaniyah, which is a sign of dictatorial parties and authorities who never want anyone to think, write and publish information outside of their wishes.
In the latest attempt of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to suppress and silence journalists, Bafel Talabani and Qubad Talabani themselves threatened Rahman Gharib, the organizer of the Metro Centre. and Under their threats and pressure, Rahman Gharib announced his resignation from the Metro Centre, There is a lot of fear among journalists in Sulaimaniyah streets in particular and Erbil streets in general because their working range has become very narrow.
I am really sorry that I see the current situation of journalists and activists in the Kurdistan Region under the rule of the two gangster parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). and I hope that the relevant parties, international organisations of journalists and international human rights organisations put pressure on these two corrupt parties to eliminate these crimes and try to solve the assassination of journalists and activists. Otherwise, if no parties cooperate, the PUK and KDP will certainly continue what they are doing now and there will be no free space for journalism in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and no one will dare to express their opinions or work as journalists and activists.
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