SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Erbil Criminal Court will hold hearing on the cases of teacher Badal Barwari and activist Omed Baroshki in August, lawyer said on Monday, after the court of appeals upheld convictions of five journalists and activists sentenced to jail.
Barwari and Baroshki were detained in Duhok in May 2020 over allegedly undermining national security of the Kurdistan Region.
Aso Hashim, head of the team of lawyers for the two, told Esta Media Network that the hearing would be held at the Erbil criminal court/2 on August 17.
“It is against the law because it is held in the next three months,” Hashim said.
They are detained in accordance with Article 156 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which is related to undermining security and stability in the Region.
“It is the same article that the court sentenced the other Badinan journalists and activists to six years in prison,” Hashim noted, referring to other journalists and activists detained in Duhok province.
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.
Last week, the Erbil court of cassation approved the convictions against the journalists and activists.
