Kurdistan 24 GM condemns banning of network in Kirkuk, Baghdad

The General Manager of Kurdistan 24 on Friday wrote a letter to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) asking them to investigate Baghdad’s banning of the network from covering recent developments in Kirkuk.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The General Manager of Kurdistan 24 on Friday wrote a letter to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) asking them to investigate Baghdad’s banning of the network from covering recent developments in Kirkuk.

According to Kurdistan 24 GM Noreldin Waisy, the network was prevented from working in both Kirkuk and Baghdad following “the assault of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)—also referred to as the Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militias—on Kirkuk.”

On Monday, both Iraqi forces and the PMF led an incursion into the multi-ethnic city, which had been under the protection of Peshmerga since mid-2014 after the Iraqi army collapsed and failed to defend the area from the Islamic State (IS).

Waisy highlighted the security risk of Kurdistan 24’s staff in Kirkuk and Baghdad whose lives are “under imminent threat,” adding, “we [will] hold the PMF and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi accountable if our staff is targeted.”

“There is a formal order from the PMF ordering its militia members to look for and arrest our reporters and staff,” he warned in the letter to the IFJ.

“This is a very dangerous development and is undoubtedly an assault on freedom of press and expression as highlighted under human rights charters,” Waisy added.

“Our staff practices their work with professionalism and in-line with journalism profession ethics and honesty in its coverage,” the Kurdistan 24 GM stated, pointed to the network being used as a source for local and international media.

Tensions have increased between Erbil, Baghdad, and regional countries following the Kurdistan Region’s Sep. 25 independence referendum, which saw nearly 93 percent vote for secession from Iraq.

Two days after the vote, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance told the Tehran-based Kurdistan 24 bureau they no longer had permission to work in Iran as a result of the referendum and “current developments” in the Region.

Broadcasting of the network was also terminated by the “RTTurk” Radio and Television Service in Turkey.

Waisy reassured Kurdistan 24 viewers that it would continue its “responsible coverage of Iraqi and regional affairs.”

“We strongly condemn the above undemocratic methods against our channel,” he concluded. “We believe this is a direct assault on freedom of press and freedom of expression.”