Metro Center: 182 Violations Against Journalists Reported in Kurdistan During 2024
SULAYMANIYAH — The Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy released its 14th annual report on Jan. 18, 2025, documenting 182 violations against journalists in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq over the previous year, a 20 percent drop compared to 2023.
The report, which focuses on the Kurdistan Region and parts of disputed areas, called 2024 a "difficult year for journalists” and outlined killings, assaults, threats, and legal actions.
"Last year, we recorded 182 violations affecting 176 journalists and media outlets,” Metro Center Coordinator Rahman Gharib said during a conference in Sulaymaniyah. "Three journalists were killed in drone strikes, 24 were arrested without warrants, and many faced lawsuits for expressing opinions on social media.”
Several journalists, according to the findings, received prison sentences or temporarily went missing. At least 27, including women, suffered physical assaults or threats, with some beaten or humiliated on the job. Other documented violations included attempts to block coverage by 103 journalists, confiscation of equipment, six cyberattacks on media outlets, and damage to equipment at two organizations. The report also noted suspension of terrestrial broadcasting for certain channels and the closure of others.
The center criticized the government for failing to ensure access to information, a right integral to journalistic work.
However, it praised the government for repealing Instruction No. 1 of 2023, issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Culture and Youth, which it said restricted press freedoms. On May 22, 2023, the ministry introduced Directive No. 1, setting up a new regulatory framework for broadcast media, social media users, and advertising companies. The directive mandated compliance with 22 new requirements—many of them vague—within three months. It granted the ministry broad authority to monitor and control content, barred publication of material deemed harmful to national security, public interest, or Kurdish culture, and raised licensing fees. Journalists and rights advocates denounced the move for imposing overly restrictive rules on media outlets and reporters.
Gharib observed a 20 percent drop in violations compared with 2023. But he said attacks, arbitrary detentions, and limits on media coverage persisted. "The rejection of appeals for the release of detained journalists and the prioritization of party-affiliated media over independent outlets in covering government activities further demonstrate the ongoing challenges,” he said, adding that the use of general criminal laws in publishing cases has increased legal pressure on journalists.
The report highlighted systemic problems in the media sector, citing arbitrary dismissals, unfair contracts, delayed wages, and a lack of social security for reporters.
It also stressed the dangers of Turkish drone strikes in 2024, which killed three journalists—identified as Hero Bahadin, Gulistan Tara, and Murad Mirza. The report says these killings violated the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which protect civilians, including journalists, in conflict zones.
In concluding its report, the Metro Center called for a pluralistic, independent media climate in the Kurdistan Region, urging authorities to protect press freedoms and enact laws that safeguard journalists’ rights. "Creating a safe environment for journalists is not only about reducing violations but also about fostering transparency and accountability,” the report said.
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