Journalist Suleiman Ahmed Released After Over 454 Days in Detention

January 21, 2025 – Syria/ Kurdistan – 

Suleiman Ahmed, a Kurdish journalist and Arabic-section editor at Rojnews, was released on January 20, 2025, after being held for more than 454 days by authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. He was arrested on October 25, 2023, at the Faysh Khabur border crossing while returning from a family visit to Syria. Kurdish security forces, affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), accused him of espionage and links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Following his arrest, Ahmed was subjected to enforced disappearance and denied access to his lawyer for extended periods. Human rights organizations and media watchdogs condemned the detention, arguing that the charges lacked credibility and were politically motivated. Despite the absence of clear evidence, a court in Duhok sentenced him to three years in prison in July 2024.

Legal and media advocacy groups continued to push for his release, citing violations of press freedom and due process. On January 6, 2025, the Kurdistan Region’s Court of Cassation overturned the earlier ruling, declaring that the case lacked sufficient legal grounds to justify the conviction. The court ordered his immediate release.

Suleiman Ahmed was freed two weeks later and reportedly crossed back into Rojava (northeast Syria) voluntarily to reunite with his mother. His legal team and family welcomed the decision but criticized the prolonged nature of his detention and the conditions he endured, including solitary confinement and restricted contact with the outside world.

Rojnews and other Kurdish media outlets celebrated his release, calling it a rare victory for press freedom in a region where journalists frequently face harassment, arrest, and politically motivated charges. Advocacy groups urged the Kurdistan Regional Government to respect press freedom and to halt the use of terrorism and espionage laws against journalists.

Ahmed’s case highlights ongoing concerns over the criminalization of independent journalism in the Kurdistan Region and the broader Middle East, where journalists continue to face persecution for their reporting and affiliations.

Reference – 

https://hawarnews.com/en/journalist-suleiman-ahmed-released-after-more-than-454-days-of-detention

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/20012025