Kurdistan Region PM meets with press freedom group

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister  Masrour Barzani on Tuesday received in Erbil the head of the Sulaimani-based Metro Center for Journalist Rights and Advocacy.

According to a statement released by Barzani's office, the leader said he "supports in all forms the freedom of the press, and the institutions of the regional government must be cooperative in the work of journalism by enabling them with information so that Kurdish journalists and media professionals can perform their mission professionally."

Barzani also called on Kurdistan journalists to "assist the regional government's work program for reform and confronting corruption."

Metro Center Coordinator Rahman Gharib, in addition to explaining the work and activities of the center, "expressed his thanks for the Prime Minister’s support and his desire to expand freedom of journalistic work and freedom to obtain information with the cooperation of all parties," the statement continued.

The press freedom watchdog, which documents violations against media workers, has often been critical of how security forces treat those reporting in the Kurdistan Region, most recently in March after six-year jail sentences given to five journalists led to condemnations by some international rights organizations.

The Metro Center was established in 2009 by a group of journalists and human rights advocates and is supported by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR). 

Editing by John J. Catherine