SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Politburo on Friday called on Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani to grant pardons for journalists and activists sentenced to prison.
In a statement, the PUK politburo said it was looking at the decision of the court of cassation with concern, which upheld the “unfair” convictions of journalists and activists of Duhok province.
On Thursday, the court of cassation in Erbil upheld convictions of five journalists and activists who were sentenced to six years in prison in February.
On February 16, Erbil criminal court-2 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 in October 2020 over allegedly undermining national security in the Region.
“Such event is a major threat to the sovereignty of the courts, the principles of human rights, democracy and freedom of expression in the Region, distorting the image of the Kurdistan Region in the eyes of the international community,” the PUK politburo said.
“While the PUK has tried and pressured through various official channels to remove the unfair punishment on Badinan detainees, it also asks the Kurdistan Region president to use his legal power to grant special pardons for convicts,” it added.
The PUK politburo also called on the Kurdistan parliament to take a “serious stance” on the case and protect the independent powers from interfering.
Regarding allegations against diplomatic mission, the PUK politburo said the Kurdistan Region and its people still need the support of “friendly” countries.
“Accusing them disloyally and worrying them won’t serve the high interests of our people. They should be looked at with the eyes of loyalty and must be respected so that they will support our experience in difficulties,” it added.
In the decision, the court of cassation alleged that the defendants “contacted the U.S. and German consulates and received money,” without giving further detail.
It also alleged that “the defendants confessed that they had met with the German consul in one of the hotels in Erbil and they sent him [the consul] to Dora area twice, directed by the head of the group defendant Shirwan Amina Na’oo.”
The U.S. Consulate General in Erbil told Esta Media Network that the United States supports freedom of expression and media.
“While we do not comment on individual court cases, the United States has supported freedom of expression and media since our founding. It is part of our identity and we continue to promote it as one of our core values,” a spokesman for the consulate said.
“We will also continue to emphasize the importance of due process and the rule of law, including access to legal counsel,” the spokesman added.
“We expect host governments all around the world to respect the work of U.S. diplomats, who—much like journalists—meet with a variety of people in order to do their jobs. We extend this same courtesy to foreign diplomats working in the United States, including to representatives of the KRG.”
Separately, the German Consulate General in Erbil said the court’s reference was absurd.
“Free exchanges with journalists & activists are part and parcel of diplomats’ daily work, also of @GermanyInKRI. The Court’s reference today is absurd & goes against the spirit of our close and friendly relations between Germany and #KRI,” the German consulate in Erbil said.
