Karwan Anwar Condemns Arrest Warrants for Sulaymaniyah Journalists as Politically Motivated

PUKMEDIA

Karwan Anwar, Secretary of the Sulaymaniyah branch of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate.

The Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued arrest warrants for two journalists in Sulaymaniyah, prompting criticism from the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate over the handling of the case.

The Secretary of the Sulaymaniyah branch of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate has said the matter has been politicised, arguing that there is no clear complainant, the reasons for the warrants have not been disclosed, and that proper legal procedures under the Press Law have not been followed.

Speaking to PUKMEDIA, Secretary Karwan Anwar said the warrants issued against journalists Ahmed Najm and Bzhar Dabbagh do not involve a legally recognised complainant, adding that the identity of any initiating party in the case remains unknown.

He further stated that under the Press Law, journalists summoned before police or judicial authorities must be accompanied by a representative of the Journalists Syndicate when appearing before an investigating judge. He also noted that, in line with legal procedures, journalists must be formally notified on three separate occasions before any arrest warrant can be issued, and only after failing to appear on the third summons can such action be taken. He said these steps had not been followed.

Anwar described the case as “unclear and lacking transparency”, saying the Syndicate had not been informed of the grounds for the decision. He also referred to the Kurdistan Press Law of 2007, which was approved by the Kurdistan Parliament and ratified by the President of the Region, as well as the existence of a specialised court for journalists in Sulaymaniyah.

He added that the Syndicate believes the case has been “manipulated and politicised”, claiming it is influenced by partisan considerations. He further stated that the Minister of Interior is well aware that cases involving journalists in the Kurdistan Region are not normally handled in this manner.

According to Karwan Anwar, the Syndicate will monitor developments in the coming days to better understand the reasons behind the decision and its wider implications.


PUKMEDIA