SULAIMANI — The Metro Center for Journalists Rights and Advocacy on Thursday (May 11) condemned death threats made by relatives of a Kurdish tribal leader against NRT reporters in the town of Kifri.

Metro Center urged the Kurdistan Region’s related institutions to take legal proceedings against the threats and to bring those responsible to justice.

"Following the release of a report from the channel NRT, the sons of Akbar Haji Rostam in Kifri broke into the house of the NRT reporter and threatened him, then phoned the channels’s administration and threatened to kill them,” Metro Center said in a statement.

"Improper” governance of authority has resulted in threats against media freedom by "individuals who have armed forces,” the advocacy group added.

NRT addressed the Kurdistan Region’s related institutions, foreign consulates and embassies over the death threats made against its journalists and reporters.

The sons and other relatives of Akbar Haji Rostam broke into the house of an NRT reporter in Kifri and confiscated his media equipment following the release of an NRT report over an arrest warrant which was issued against Rostam.

The assailants made threats against NRT's coverage of the case and threatened to "ram an RPG rocket into the reporter's home."

Rostam spoke to media affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) earlier this week claiming he has 13 sons "who have made dozens of mistakes but they cannot be arrested since I have power.”

"Even if they got arrested I would release them by a phone call,” Rostam said.

An arrest warrant was issued against him following his statements, but he later expressed a stance against showing up in court and his armed relatives are on alert in the village of Omarbl.

Kifri police and security forces are yet to implement the court decision and arrest him.

(NRT)