SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Two German and Slovakian journalists detained in northern Iraq last month over “spying” for a Kurdish militant group arrived back in their countries, according to Germany’s broadcaster DW.
The two journalists were arrested during a raid in April on a Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) camp in northern Iraq, DW reported. They were accused of “espionage and supporting terrorism”.
The journalists, who are a German woman and a Slovakian man, were held at the headquarters of Iraq’s secret service in Baghdad, according to change.org, a German activism website that supported the journalists’ release.
They were deported from Iraq immediately upon release, DW cited the German journalist’s lawyer as saying.
According to the German broadcaster, Iraqi authorities had considered her reporting on “alleged crimes against Kurds in Iraq as sympathizing with the PKK, which is banned in Iraq.”
*This story was updated at 4:18 p.m. EBL time
