CPJ calls on authorities of South Kurdistan to reveal the fate of journalist Suleyman

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a written statement about the kidnapping of journalist Suleiman Ahmed, editor of Roj News Agency.

the statement reads: "On October 25, Ahmed, an Arabic editor for the local news website RojNews—was arrested by Iraqi Kurdish authorities at the northern Faysh Khabur border and taken to an unknown location".

In its statement, the committee indicated that the head of the Dohuk office of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Ali Awni, refused to comment on the kidnapping of the journalist and editor of ROJ News agency, Suleyman Ahmed.

The committee confirmed that it did not receive any response to the phone calls it made with the director of the Asayish in Dohuk, Zerevan Broshki.

While Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator in Washington, confirmed: "The Kurdistan region authorities must immediately reveal the location of Syrian journalist Suleyman Muhammad Ahmed, drop the charges against him, and release him unconditionally. The Kurdistan Regional Authority must also stop all types of harassment of journalists, from illegal arrests to physical attacks, and it must allow journalists to work freely and without fear of kidnapping or arrest."

The editor of the Sourani section at Roj News Agency, Botan Garmiyani, rejected the accusations against journalist Suleyman Ahmed, who confirmed: "Suleyman has been working at Roj News Agency since 2018, and possesses all the necessary legal documents, and has never been arrested before."

The brother of journalist Suleyman Ahmed, Ahmed Ahmed, refuted the allegations of the Asayish Dohuk, and confirmed: "Suleyman was never a fighter but only a journalist, and he came to Syria in order to visit the family."

Since October 25, the fate of journalist and editor of Roj News Agency, Suleyman Muhammad Ahmed, remains unknown, after the KDP authorities kidnapped him without any legal reason when he entered through the Fish Khabur crossing into southern Kurdistan, coming from visiting his family in Aleppo.

Journalist Suleyman had gone to visit his family in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo on October 1, after the death of his father, Muhammad Ahmed. 

Sh-S

ANHA