KDP Holds Roj News Editor Suleiman Ahmed Without Evidence for Over a Year

November 3, 2024 – Kurdistan –

Journalist Suleiman Ahmed, editor at the Kurdish outlet Roj News, has been held by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) for over 376 days without any proven charges. He was arrested on October 25, 2023, at the Fish-Khabur border while returning from visiting family in Aleppo. On July 29, 2024, the Duhok Criminal Court sentenced him in absentia to three years in prison, but the court provided no evidence or legal justification behind the verdict.

Ahmed has been denied basic legal rights, including immediate access to lawyers. It took nearly 210 days before his counsel finally gained meeting access—a violation of legal procedures and due process. His case went to the Kurdistan Region’s Court of Cassation for appeal. On September 8, his lawyer, Nariman Ahmed, urged authorities to overturn the Duhok ruling and dismiss the sentence, noting the lack of evidential basis and appealing to restore “judicial dignity”.

Throughout 2024, Hawar News marked successive milestones: 344, 357, 368 days in detention—all tagged with escalating concern in media reports—underscoring KDP’s refusal to release him despite mounting criticism.

Suleiman’s prolonged detention demonstrates a troubling pattern: judiciary subordination to political interests and systemic suppression of press freedom in Iraqi Kurdistan. His case stands out for its absurdity: a months-long detention, secretive trial, and politically motivated sentencing—all without a shred of proof.

The international and Kurdish journalistic community has rallied in his defense. Advocates are calling for the immediate overturning of the sentence, his unconditional release, and structural reforms, including independent media protections and an end to politicized legal proceedings.

His plight mirrors the broader media repression in the region: independent journalists face pressure, detention, and a court system weaponized against dissent. Suleiman’s situation sends a chilling message—regardless of journalistic integrity, journalists can be silenced simply for informing the public.

The world is watching. Press freedom in Iraqi Kurdistan is at a crossroads: either justice prevails, or the silence imposed on journalists like Suleiman becomes the norm.

Reference – 

https://hawarnews.com/en/kdp-authorities-detain-journalist-suleiman-for-374-days