During press conference of Roj News: Journalist Ahmed must be released immediately and unconditionally

In this regard, Roj News Agency held a press conference today at the Metro Center in Sulaymaniyah, in which it confirmed: “This behavior by the KDP is a dangerous indicator and political revenge. Suleiman Ahmed did not sell his pen and that is why he is in prison. We confirm that Suleiman Ahmed has been kidnapped, he has his journalistic duties and his status as a free and independent journalist, the responsibility for his safety and life lies with the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the regional authorities.”

During the conference, a statement was made, read by Hawria Karwan, which read:

“93 days ago, the editor of the Arabic section of our agency, Suleiman Ahmed, was kidnapped and disappeared at the entrance to Fish Khabur by the security of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (Asayish), and until now, neither we nor his family have received any information about his fate.

Despite the many efforts we and his family made, and Suleiman Ahmed’s team of lawyers tried several times to view his file and meet with him, the Asayish of Dohuk did not allow them to do so, nor did they allow them to see him to obtain his power of attorney and work on his file, which is also a violation.

At first, they prevented them from meeting with him under the pretext that they did not have Suleiman, but after it was confirmed through the team of lawyers that Suleiman was in prison with the Asayish Dohuk and his case was in the hands of the (Parastin), they said that he was under investigation and no one could see him.

Within 93 days, we, Roj News Agency, his team of lawyers, and the family of Suleiman Ahmed, resorted to all legal and civil means; To reveal his fate and release, in addition, hundreds of journalists and media institutions protested the kidnapping of Suleiman Ahmed, and many events and press meetings were held for the same goal.

As well as the Metro Center for Protecting the Rights of Journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the Ronos Union, the Kurdish Pen Center, Reporters Without Borders, the Center for Human Rights, members of the Iraqi Journalists Union, the Tigris and Euphrates Journalists Association, the Mesopotamia Journalists Association, and many other institutions and organizations stood against the kidnapping and disappearance of Suleiman Ahmed and demanded his release.

Recently, the team of lawyers for journalist Suleiman Ahmed submitted the file to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), and the head of UNAMI confirmed that they are aware of his case and will force the Kurdistan Regional Government to guarantee all his legal rights and will visit him as soon as possible.

Despite all the efforts, pressures, voices and protests, the Kurdistan Regional Journalists Union in Hawler, and many irresponsible and negligent people, deal with this file and look at it from a partisan angle, and also in the press conference to reveal the statistics of violations against journalists, and when the journalists asked why Suleiman Ahmed’s name was not written, the authority turned this issue into a political issue and claimed that he had nothing to do with journalistic work.

As a free and independent journalist, Suleiman Ahmed did not sell his pen, during the 5 years of his work at Roj News, he was constantly defending the case of the Bahdinan detainees and all issues related to freedom of thought, the press, and human rights. Until now, he is paying the price for his position in the prison of a tribal regime that is anti-freedom.

The kidnapping and disappearance of Suleiman Ahmed is a silencing of the free voice and pen and contradicts all executive laws of the Kurdistan region and Iraq related to freedom of the media. It is also a clear violation of human rights and is not compatible with any article, law, constitution or logic.

The action of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the government is a dangerous sign of political revenge and repression against all those demanding and criticizing freedom and the voices of demonstrators. Therefore, It is the duty of all journalists and all local and international organizations working in the field of human rights not to accept these violations and brutal actions carried out by this authority, which lead our region to a dark future.

We affirm that Suleiman Ahmed was kidnapped because he had his journalistic duties and his status as a free and independent journalist. The responsibility for his safety and life lies with the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Kurdistan Regional authorities. We will not surrender and our determination will increase every day.

Journalist Suleiman Ahmed must be released immediately and unconditionally.”

 Sh-S

ANHA