Free Media Union launches campaign to support rebuilding Ronahi TV after fire

The Free Media Union has launched a campaign to support Ronahi TV, whose headquarters was destroyed in a fire on 12 March, calling on media institutions, organizations, supporting bodies, initiative groups, and all advocates of press freedom to contribute to the campaign.

In a statement, the union said:

"On 12 March 2026, Ronahi TV's headquarters in the city of Qamishlio was severely damaged by a fire that completely destroyed the main studio and control room, while also damaging or destroying most of the channel's essential technical equipment, forcing a temporary suspension of its live broadcasts.

The fire marked a major loss for a media institution that had devoted years to professional reporting and coverage of regional issues, depriving its audience of a platform that had played a significant role in delivering news and political, social, and cultural programming to diverse segments of society.

Since its launch on 21 November 2011, Ronahi TV has broadcast in Kurdish, Arabic, English, and Syriac, covering developments across the region, expanding local media coverage, and establishing offices and branches in several areas, in addition to building an extensive network of correspondents that has helped amplify the voices of local communities.

In line with our responsibility toward independent media institutions and our belief in the importance of ensuring the continuity of their mission, we, the Free Media Union, are launching the “Let's Support Ronahi TV” campaign to help rebuild Ronahi TV. The campaign aims to secure the technical equipment destroyed in the fire, including cameras, editing equipment, audio and video control systems, computers, and other essential resources required to rebuild the studios, restore operations, and resume normal broadcasting.

The “Support Ronahi TV” initiative reaffirms that protecting independent media and ensuring its continuity is a shared responsibility, and that standing in solidarity with media organizations affected by disasters or targeted attacks is a defense of society's right to access information and of the continuation of professional journalism.

We call on media organizations, civil society organizations, supporting institutions, initiative groups, and all those who believe in press freedom to contribute to this campaign according to their means, in support of efforts to rebuild the channel's technical infrastructure and enable it to resume its media mission as soon as possible.

Details on how to make donations and participate in the campaign will be announced in the annex accompanying this statement. The campaign is committed to ensuring transparency in the management of all contributions and directing them toward rebuilding the channel and restoring its technical capacity.

The Free Media Union

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Annex to the statement

Campaign information, contribution mechanisms, and transparency

This annex forms an integral part of the statement announcing the launch of the campaign to support and rebuild Ronahi TV. It outlines the official campaign information, contribution mechanisms, the responsibilities of the parties involved, and the measures adopted to ensure transparency and keep donors informed about the use of their contributions.

Campaign information

- Campaign Name: Let's Support Ronahi TV

- Organized by: Free Media Union

- Beneficiary: Ronahi TV

- Campaign Launch Date: 5 July 2026

- Campaign Duration: Open-ended

- Campaign Reference Number: RTV-2026-001

Official donation methods

Bank transfer

- Bank Name: Al Rajhi Bank

- Account Holder: Shams Al Ahba Company Ltd.

- Account Number: IBAN: SA59 8000 0388 6080 1046 4495

Official Contact Information

- Campaign Email: [email protected]

- WhatsApp: +963 949 549 938

Official Accounts:

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/xwedili.ronahitv

X (Twitter): xwedilironahitv

Instagram: xwedili.ronahitv

Responsibilities of the Parties Involved

Free Media Union

The Free Media Union is responsible for:

- Launching the campaign and overseeing its implementation.

- Approving and announcing the official donation channels.

- Responding to inquiries related to the campaign.

- Publishing regular updates on the campaign's progress.

- Coordinating with Ronahi TV to monitor the implementation of the campaign's objectives.

Ronahi TV

As the campaign's beneficiary, Ronahi TV is committed to:

- Using all donations exclusively for the campaign's stated purpose of rebuilding the technical infrastructure damaged by the fire.

- Ensuring that campaign funds are not used for any purpose outside the campaign's declared objectives.

- Preparing and updating, as necessary, lists of the equipment and technical devices required.

- Announcing the equipment and technical resources purchased or secured through the campaign.

- Publishing photographs or other documentary materials showing the progress of rebuilding the studios and installing the equipment.

- Publishing invoices, purchase orders, or other financial documents demonstrating how campaign funds have been spent, provided this does not conflict with legal or commercial obligations.

- Issuing periodic reports detailing the progress of the campaign, the funds utilized, and the objectives achieved.

- Issuing a final report upon the campaign's completion, including the total amount of donations received, a breakdown of expenditures, the equipment acquired, and the outcomes of the rebuilding process.

Donor contribution monitoring

Donors can follow the progress of the campaign through official platforms and access:

- The latest updates on the campaign.

- Periodic reports.

- Published financial statements.

- Documentation and images related to the rebuilding process.

- The final report upon completion of the campaign.

Donors are also entitled to submit inquiries related to the campaign through the official communication channels.

Donor protection

- The campaign relies exclusively on the official donation methods listed in this annex.

- The Free Media Union and Ronahi TV bear no responsibility for donations made through unauthorized accounts or entities.

- Donors are advised to retain proof of their transfers or contributions until the campaign concludes.

- In the event of any attempt of impersonation or unauthorized fundraising in the name of the campaign, it should be reported immediately to the organizing body via official channels.

Campaign closure

The campaign will be officially concluded upon achieving its objectives or upon the end of its announced duration. A final report will be published, including:

- Total donations received.

- Total expenditures.

- A list of equipment and resources provided.

- The percentage of objectives achieved.

- A summary of the outcomes of Ronahi TV’s reconstruction.

The publication of this report shall constitute the official closure of the campaign.