SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said the journalists and activists sentenced to jail have the right to appeal the court’s decision, following outrage over the sentencing.
On Tuesday, a court in Erbil sentenced journalists Sherwan Sherwani, Guhdar Zebrai and Ayaz Karam as well as activists Shvan Omer and Hariwan Issa to six years each in jail on national security charges.
The Kurdish security forces arrested the five in Duhok province last autumn.
“The February 16th court sentencing of a number of detainees has stirred public concern,” Barzani said in a statement on Thursday.
“In accordance with the law, the defendants have the right to appeal the decision, and the Court of Appeal is obligated to review the decision in a way that upholds the legal and human rights of the defendants and the plaintiffs,” he added.
The president said he was following the case closely, reiterating his support for the rule of law, independence of the courts and human rights principles, according to the statement.
“No one is allowed to interfere with court procedures and decisions,” he stated.
“The people of Kurdistan will not allow the regress of freedom. The misuse of freedom to undermine freedom itself will not be tolerated either,” Barzani said.
“Protecting and promoting freedom and democracy are solidified by the rule of law and the independence of the courts. The courts and respected judges must protect the independence of the law, so that the dignity of individuals and the dignity of the nation are protected by law.”
He called on the Region’s citizens not to undermine the courts, laws and institutions, noting that “mistrust in the rule of law will lead to insecurity and uncertainty”.
As many as 76 journalists and activists have been detained by the security forces for allegedly undermining national security in the Kurdistan Region.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said the case of the detainees was a “legal case, but it has created doubts with people and that will stain the name and reputation of the Kurdistan Region”.
“I call on the general prosecutor to play its role and for an accurate decision to be made by the court of appeals, where the rule of law, freedom, and democracy are preserved,” Talabani said.
On Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to release the journalists.
“Today’s sentencing of journalists Sherwan Amin Sherwani and Guhdar Zebari is not only unfair and disproportionate, but it also proves that the Iraqi Kurdistan regional government has finally dropped the pretense of caring about press freedom,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Representative Ignacio Miguel Delgado.
“Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq should immediately release both journalists, drop the charges against them, and cease harassing the media.”
