SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Co-president Bafel Talabani said on Thursday the boundaries of journalism shouldn’t be restricted under the name of law, calling on the Region’s president to use his power in the case of journalists and activities sentenced to jail in Erbil.
Talabani met with EU Ambassador to Iraq Martin Huth and head of the EU Liaison Office in the Kurdistan Region Vincent- Guillaume Poupea on Thursday.
In the meeting, Talabani said the PUK was founded from the beginning on the basis of freedom and freedom of expression and that one of the pillars of the PUK’s structure was “criticism and the creation of a suitable environment for journalists and writers”, a statement by his office said.
“The boundaries of journalism must not be restricted under the name of law, and we are against all kinds of preventions and restrictions on the work of that important class of society,” he added.
“We call on the president of the Kurdistan Region to use his power in response to the case of Badinan convicts. We should all prevent this dangerous event that will tarnish the reputation of our Region in the case of being continued,” he further said.
He added that the PUK “is with free and courageous media because we think that the democratic experience of the Region and this society which we are proud of is linked to free voices and free and courageous media,” the statement read.
The two sides also discussed early elections in Iraq. Talabani said the PUK was with an election which is held on time and that a clean and pure election should be held under the observation of international community.
