Cultural Committee attends Journalists Union’s launch of annual report on press freedom

On 5 February, members of Kurdistan Parliament Culture, Civil Society and Youth Committee, led by the chair Ms. Salma Fatih (PUK), participated in the Kurdistan Journalists Union’s launch of its annual report on press freedom.

The Journalists Union released its 2019 report under the theme of ‘Guarantee journalists’ rights and protect free journalism’.

They announced that there were 66 case of repression of journalists working at 151 different media outlets, with fewer cases in 2019 compared to previous years.

Ms. Fatih made a speech in which she said, “Unfortunately the report tells us of arrests and attacks on journalists, and bans on them covering news and events.”

She said that such practices have continued for years, with the closure of television channels’ offices, torture of journalists and requirements that they complete application forms that include personal and security data.

Ms. Fatih said, “We the committee fully support measures to end the repression of journalists.”