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January 31, 2025 – Iraq/ Kurdistan –
A court in Duhok sentenced Iraqi Kurdish journalist Omed Baroshky to six months in prison on charges of defamation related to a Facebook post. Baroshky, who has faced multiple legal battles over his reporting, was convicted under Iraq’s criminal code rather than the Kurdistan Region’s press law, which does not allow imprisonment for journalistic activity.
The case stemmed from a post Baroshky published on January 23, 2024, in which he reported that political prisoner Mala Nazir had been secretly transferred from Zirka prison one day before his scheduled release. Authorities accused him of spreading false information and damaging reputations. His lawyer, Reving Yaseen, argued that Baroshky’s post was legitimate reporting and should be protected under the region’s press law, but the court rejected this defense.
Baroshky, who previously founded Rast Media before it was shut down by security forces in April 2023, had turned to Facebook as his primary platform to continue reporting on sensitive issues. This latest conviction adds to a series of legal challenges he has faced. Between 2020 and 2022, Baroshky spent 18 months in prison on charges related to his coverage of anti-government protests, corruption, and criticism of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Press freedom organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have condemned Baroshky’s sentencing. CPJ’s interim Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, Yeganeh Rezaian, stated that convicting journalists under criminal defamation laws amounts to criminalizing reporting and stifling press freedom. The use of vague legal provisions such as Article 2 of the Misuse of Communication Devices law has become a common tactic by Kurdish authorities to silence dissenting voices.
The Kurdistan Region has faced ongoing criticism for its treatment of journalists, with numerous reporters being detained or prosecuted for their work. Rights groups argue that these actions violate both regional press laws and international standards on freedom of expression. Baroshky’s case underscores the growing risks faced by independent journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan, as legal harassment continues to be used as a tool to suppress investigative reporting and political criticism.
References –
https://cpj.org/2025/01/iraqi-kurdish-journalist-omed-baroshky-sentenced-to-6-months-in-prison/
https://cptik.org/updates-1/2025/2/4/journalist-sentenced-to-prison
