Kurdish journalist sentenced to prison again days before his scheduled release

A court in Hewler in Southern Kurdistan has sentenced journalist Sherwan Sherwani to four years and five months in prison, just days before his scheduled release, sparking further controversy.

19 August, 2025 22:00

NEWS DESK

Kurdish journalist Sherwan Sherwani, known for his investigations into corruption, was sentenced to four years and five months in prison for threatening a prison officer, just days before his scheduled release after nearly five years in detention.

His lawyer confirmed the sentence was "political" and would be appealed. Meanwhile, Hewler court witnessed clashes and attacks on his supporters and activists.

Sherwani was arrested in 2020 and sentenced in 2021 to six years in prison on charges of "incitement and espionage." His sentence was later reduced to three years, and new sentences were added in 2023 and 2024.

Human rights organizations and opposition members of parliament considered the incident a threat to freedom of expression in Southern Kurdistan, which has been criticized for corruption and arbitrary arrests.

ANHA