Sulaymaniyah First Investigation Court Assigned to Handle Journalists’ Cases

PUKMEDIA

The city of Sulaymaniyah.

It has been decided that the Sulaymaniyah First Investigation Court will be designated to handle cases involving journalists. The Secretary of the Sulaymaniyah Branch of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate confirmed that this decision was made in response to their request and with the backing of Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region.

The Presidency of the Sulaymaniyah District Court of Appeal issued Administrative Order No. 2722 on 13 March 2025, signed by Judge Omar Ahmed Mohammed. The order stated: “It has been decided to allocate the Sulaymaniyah Investigation Court/1 to hear cases related to journalists within the city of Sulaymaniyah, in accordance with the Kurdistan Press Law No. 35 of 2007.”

Speaking to PUKMEDIA about the significance of this decision, Karwan Anwar, Secretary of the Sulaymaniyah Branch of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate, described it as an important step. “Approximately two years ago, during meetings with judges and public prosecutors, we advocated for the establishment of a dedicated court to handle cases concerning journalists. We reiterated our request last week during our meeting with Judge Omar Ahmed, President of the Sulaymaniyah Court of Appeals. Since setting up a specialised court would require additional time and effort, it was decided to assign the First Sulaymaniyah Investigation Court to this role.”

Mr. Anwar further added, “Deputy PM Qubad Talabani, has shown great support for this initiative, which is highly appreciated.” He highlighted that one of the key advantages of this decision is the ability to distinguish between journalistic and non-journalistic cases. He also called on other governorates in the Kurdistan Region to follow Sulaymaniyah’s lead by designating a court to deal with cases concerning journalists.

Following the decision, cases will be brought before a single judge who is well-versed in journalism and media affairs, ensuring that well-informed and fair decisions are made.



PUKMEDIA