KNC calls on US to stop arrests and media restrictions in northern Syria

The KNC blamed a group affiliated to the Democratic Union Party (PYD) for arresting Ahmed Sofi from Derik and Dara Abdo, local journalists for ARK TV, and members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party - Syria (KDP-S).
Logo of the Kurdish National Council (KNC) (Photo: Kurdistan 24).
Logo of the Kurdish National Council (KNC) (Photo: Kurdistan 24).

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdish National Council (KNC) called on the US to stop the arrest of activists and restriction of media freedom in northeast Syria on Sunday. 

The KNC blamed a group affiliated to the Democratic Union Party (PYD) for arresting Ahmed Sofi from Derik and Dara Abdo, local journalists for ARK TV, and members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party - Syria (KDP-S). It called on the US to intervene to release them.

ARK TV journalist Sabri Fakhri, who was also arrested earlier this month, remains in jail. 

The KNC claimed, in a statement, that the arrests were made to divert attention from “administrative failures” and as part of a campaign “targeting media professionals and correspondents of Kurdish media channels and agencies.”

The KNC also said that on Feb. 19, an unknown armed group set the car of lawyer Rezan Mullah, a KNC member, on fire. 

The KNC called on the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to hold those involved in burning its party offices and kidnapping activists responsible. 

Read More: PYD-affiliated armed group behind attack against Kurdish party office in Dirbesiye: KNC

It also called on the US to end these acts that cause instability. 

On Feb. 6, the KNC also called on the US “to intervene to put an end to these violations, release all media professionals, and allow media organizations to operate freely.”

Read More: Committee to Protect Journalists calls on officials in northeast Syria to reverse Kurdistan 24 ban

The Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria (AANES), dominated by the PYD, banned Kurdistan 24 from northeast Syria on June 20. It also banned Rudaw on Feb. 5.