SULAIMANI (ESTA) — French Consulate General to Erbil said on Saturday that the friendship that binds France to the Kurdish people is based on common values and shared principles including freedoms of the press and of expression, in response to court’s decision that upheld convictions of five journalists and activists sentenced to jail.
“The Consulate General of France in Erbil looks with concern at the court’s decision on cases of five journalists and activists in the Kurdistan Region,” the consulate said in a statement.
“The Consulate General of France reminds that the friendship that binds us to the Kurdish people and the cooperation between France and the Kurdistan Region are based on shared value and principles, including freedom of the press, freedom of expression and demonstrations,” it added.
On Thursday, the court of cassation in Erbil upheld convictions of five journalists and activists who were sentenced to six years in jail 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 journalists and activists were detained in Duhok province in October 2020 over allegedly undermining national security in the Region.
The French consulate also expressed its “deep concern over any attempt that criminalizes relationship of journalism and civil activity with diplomatic representatives and consulates in the Kurdistan Region”.
In its decision, the court of cassation alleged that the defendants “contacted the U.S. and German consulates and received money,” without giving further details.
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.”
In response to the allegation, the U.S. consulate general in Erbil said the United States expected the KRG to respect the work of its diplomats as it does so for the KRG representatives working in the U.S.
“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,” it told Esta Media Network.
Similarly, the German consulate general in Erbil said the court’s reference to its diplomats 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,” it said in a tweet.
