359 violation cases against journalists reported in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region in 2011

SULAIMANIYA / IraqiNews.com: Northern Iraq Kurdistan’s Metro Center for Defense of Journalists has reported on Saturday that the Center had spotted 359 different violations against journalists rights in Kurdistan Region last year, including 4 fire attacks, 8 cases of setting fire to media offices and channels,85 cases of beating, 57 threat cases and 52 arrest and detention operations.”The violations have also covered 81 prevention cases for press activity, 9 cases of destroying cameras and journalistic appliances, 9 attacks against mediaoffices, 9 shooting cases against journalists, 41 cases of confiscation of press appliances, 2 shooting cases against media channels, one case of planting an explosive charge in a media office and the burning down of a reporter’s vehicle,” the Metro Center said in a statement. As regards to the said violations, Metro’s Acting Director, Rahman Gharib, told IraqiNews.com news agency, that “last year had witnessed an escalation of aggressive incidents against journalists in Kurdistan Region, due to the political developments there, where several demonstrations took place through whichseveral violations were reported against citizens, including journalists, where 200 violation cases were registered against journalists in February and April, last year.”