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March 12, 2025 – Kurdish/Iraq-
Media freedom advocates and international watchdogs are urging the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan to immediately release Voice of America (VOA) journalist Sirwan Abbas, who has been detained under unclear circumstances since January 30, 2025. Abbas, a Kurdish reporter known for his work on political and social issues in the region, was arrested in Duhok province while covering civil unrest and has remained in custody without formal charges.
According to VOA and media rights groups, Abbas was taken into custody by security forces affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). His colleagues and family members say they have not been allowed to speak with him, and no legal justification for his detention has been provided. His arrest is widely seen as part of a broader crackdown on independent media and dissent in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and local rights organizations have condemned the detention as a violation of press freedom and due process. In a joint statement, they stressed that holding a journalist without charges or access to legal representation is incompatible with democratic principles and the right to free expression.
This is not an isolated incident. Kurdish authorities have repeatedly been criticized for targeting journalists and civil society activists who report critically on governance, corruption, and human rights abuses. In recent years, several reporters have been arrested, prosecuted, or forced into exile, with Kurdish media space increasingly dominated by outlets tied to political parties.
VOA has also called on the U.S. State Department to intervene diplomatically, noting that Abbas’s reporting has contributed significantly to informing Kurdish and international audiences. U.S. officials have expressed concern but have yet to make a formal statement on his case.
As global attention grows, media organizations warn that the continued detention of Sirwan Abbas will only deepen fears about shrinking space for independent journalism in Iraqi Kurdistan. They demand his immediate release and call on authorities to uphold international human rights standards protecting journalists from arbitrary arrest and intimidation.
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