More threats – violence against independent journalists in Kurdistan – organization

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Reporters Without Borders said that violations against independent journalists in Iraq’s Kurdistan region have increased since mid 2009, holding the two main parties in the region responsible for that, the organization said in a statement. “Reporters Without Borders has observed an increase in press freedom violations and violence against independent journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan since the 25 July regional elections. Both of the two political parties that control the region have had a hand in these violations, of which there have been several recent cases,” said the statement received by IraqiNews.com news agency. The most recent is that of freelance journalist Sabah Ali Qaraman, the target of a kidnap attempt on 19 January. “I was returning home by car with a friend at about 5 p.m. when I saw a grey jeep following us with four hooded gunmen aboard,” he told Reporters Without Borders. “I recognised the driver, a long-time member of the PUK,” he continued, referring to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the party headed by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. “When they got out of their jeep, I realised they wanted to kidnap me. We managed to elude them and we fled.” Aged 28 and living in the district of Kifri, 200 km southeast of Sulaimaniyah, Qaraman has often criticised both the PUK and the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), led by Massoud Barzani. “I know they want to kill me because my articles are very critical of the PUK, especially as regards corruption,” he said. “They want to silence me but I will refuse until my dying breath to make any changes to the way I work or the way I speak out and criticise. The corrupt political system that exists in Kurdistan must change.” Qadr Nadr, a freelance journalist and columnist for news websites and newspapers in Kurdistan, was accosted and threatened by members of the PUK’s Swedish section while participating in a seminar in Stockholm on 17 January. He told Reporters Without Borders he has filed a complaint against his assailants. “Twelve weeks ago, on 29 October, Nabaz Goran , the editor of the independent Kurdish-language fortnightly Jihan (World) , was physically attacked in Erbil,” the organization concluded. SH (S) 2