NEWS CENTER - Journalists working under difficult conditions in Slemani, Makhmur and Shengal said, "The places under the control of the KDP are completely forbidden to us. But these pressures will not intimidate us."

 

Federated Kurdistan Region is one of the places where the rights of journalists are most violated. Journalists in the region are faced with threats, detentions, arrests and obstructions every day, and they have difficulty in working. According to the report published by the Kurdistan Journalists Union in 2020, there were more than 138 violations against 365 journalists and 47 media organizations. 

 

During the protests against the government in the region last year, around 70 activists and journalists were detained and arrested. Many have been released on bail, but more than 20 journalists are still held in prisons in the region. The opposition press, which informs the public of the facts, is prevented from entering the regions under the control of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

 

Journalists working under difficult conditions in Slemani, Shengal Autonomous Region and Makhmur Refugee Camp evaluated the pressures, obstructions and threats they faced in the KDP region to our agency.

 

'LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IS LIMITED'

 

Berhem Letif, the Slemani reporter of the Federated Kurdistan-based Rojnews, stated that the current government has intensified its attacks because it fears the free press that reveals the truth. Berhem said, "Actually, the approach to the press is the same as the general political atmosphere. Economic, political and social problems undoubtedly have an impact on the free press as well. In addition, we are faced with detentions, arrests, obstructions and violence. Freedom of the press is severely restricted here. There is no such pressure on pro-government media that repeates what the government says. However we are faced with censorship and oppression. The current government wants the free press to submit to the government. The government intensifies its attacks on us every day so that their corruption and theft are not exposed. However the free press will not submit and continue to their jobs."

 

'DUHOK AND HEWLÊR ARE FORBIDDEN TO US'

 

Journalist Berhem Letif shared the information that entrances to many cities in the region are banned for them and said, "Duhok and Hewlêr are closed to the free press. No journalists are allowed to work there, except for pro-government media. There are many journalists who want to go there and report. For example, on April 23, 2021, Turkey used chemical weapons 306 times against Zap, Avaşîn and Metina. But the KDP does not allow us to go there and report. In fact, the KDP explicitly forbids journalism here. We were detained twice for following stories. I was taken into custody and when we are not detained, our cameras and phones are confiscated. Sometimes even news sites are shut down without any reason. Despite all this, we continue our journalistic activities." 

 

'JOURNALISTS HAVE NO SECURITY'

 

Journalist Berhem Letif stated that it is a risk to convey the truth in the region and said, "I was detained while following the protests of university students and I was detained for 2 days. At that time, all my materials were confiscated, 4 months have passed, but my belongings have not been returned to me yet. They want to intimidate us. But these practices only harm them. The will of the free press cannot be surrendered by confiscating a camera. They will not intimidate us in this way. No power can silence the free press." 

 

'DESPITE THE ATTACKS, WE WILL REPORT THE TRUTH'

 

Armanc Herekol, who works as a journalist in the Makhmur camp, reminded that they work under difficult conditions and said, "The KDP does not allow us to carry out work here. Let alone going to Hewlér and Duhok, we are not even allowed to work inside the camp. However, we cannot ignore what is happening here. We cannot ignore what is going on here. It is not in the KDP's interest for these facts to be revealed. That's why they taget us. According to international law, journalists have the right to go anywhere and follow stories. Unfortunately, this is not possible here. Despite all the attacks, we still continue our journalistic activities. They know that we will expose those who sell the lands of Kurdistan piece by piece. That's why we are not allowed to go there. Our work is blocked there because we reveal the blockade on Makhmur. But despite all the attacks and pressures, we report the truth and convey it to the people."

 

'WE REPORT THE FACTS UNDER BULLETS'

 

Xelil Şengalî, who is a journalist in Shengal,  becomes the target of bullets of the Iraqi government and KDP security forces in every news follow-up and said: "Attacks against journalists in Shengal in particular and in the whole region in general have increased a lot. But of course, the situation in Shengal is a little different because there is a military force in Shengal. That's why our journalistic activities are constantly hindered. Many journalists lost their lives targeted by bullets while covering news in Shengal. They were also killed by bullets of the KDP and the Iraqi Government. One of them is journalist Nujiyan Erhan. The attacks still continue. While I was following a story in Sinûnê, I was detained and my technical equipments were confiscated. We were targeted and shot in many demonstrations and events. We will continue to show their true face."

 

'OUR CAMERA IS OUR REALITY'

 

Adding that the attacks on Shengal had a negative impact on journalists, Şengalî concluded his words as follows: "We cannot pass through the places where the KDP's military points are located. Their laws say, 'You will either report as we want or we will not give you the right to report here.' But they should know this well. Our camera is our reality. They want to enslave the Yazidis. But we will not allow this and continue to expose the facts with our reports. They are afraid of us. The more their attacks increase, the stronger we become."

 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut