The patience limit of security forces ends at Dabashan bridge

Sulaymaniyah, March 25th 2024: Metro Center condemns the arrest and prevention of journalists and activists in the Sulaymaniyah protests, announces the Sulaymaniyah security force’s behavior towards the protestors and media teams declared that "when the order comes, there’s no guarantee that the security’s behavior would change from patience to violence”

 

Today hundreds of teachers in Sulaymaniyah city near (dabashan) bridge, held a protest. However, this time’s security forces’ behavior was very different from their behavior a few months prior towards teachers’ protests.

The security forces attacked the peaceful protest of those teachers and arrested a few members of the disapproving teachers' committee, who are (Nabard Ahmed, Ari Ezadeen, Aso Mohammed), they were planning to go from Kalar to Sulaymaniyah, a few others of their members were also arrested during the protest.

What we have got up to writing this statement: during the coverage of the protest, the Journalistic equipment of NRT team and Westga News have been taken. (Aros Jabar) Westga News cameraman and (Marwan Faraidon) NRT cameraman were both arrested. Journalism tools of Speda and 964+ have also been taken. Mic cameraman (Grivan Farman) was held for an hour, all his equipment have been taken and all his footages been deleted, and then he was released.

Also, Snur Kareem (Dengi America) reporter told us, they were in their car and were not covering anything, but a security force blocked their way and asked for their equipment to be handed over to them.

The security forces also attacked sbey team (Khoshi Shaida, Harem Baba Ali), and took their equipment and arrested (Emdad Abdula) Apora News reporter and taken his equipment as well, he was released after a couple of hours.

The security forces have been spread on Malik Mahmoud Street near Dabashan bridge, they do not allow the protestors to move and block the media teams from covering any of those activities.

Metro Center condemns the arrest and blockage of journalists and activists of the Sulaymaniyah protest, announces "there’s no guarantee that the security’s behavior would change from patience to violence”

All that happened today in violence and using power to scare the protestors and media teams by the security forces, has never happened in the previous two months.

We condemn the use of force against peaceful demonstrations and the arrest of journalists who were there to cover the situation as well as the protestors.

Since its installation on August 2009, Metro has released 13 reports on press freedom, through projects each of these organizations, (IWPR), (NPS), (IMS), (gulf Center for Human Rights) and US ministry of foreign affairs, Metro has been supported.

 

Metro established (Network 19) in March 2024، which decided to monitor the state of freedom of expression.

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