Shafaq News / The Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate, al-Sulaymaniya Office, reported thousands of journalists in Kurdistan, with some members and others unaffiliated, noting relatively low violence compared to other countries.
Karwan Anwar, the head of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate in al-Sulaymaniya, stated to Shafaq News Agency that "the level of violence against journalists in 2023 decreased compared to 2022 and 2021, with most incidents being within the norm."
He continued, "However, what is concerning is that in 2023, a journalist was convicted, while the killers of some journalists have not been apprehended and remain free in Kurdistan. There are five cases of journalist killings, with only one case resolved, which is the murder of journalist Kawa Germian."
"According to statistics, there are over 10,000 journalists in Kurdistan, with around 8,500 of them being members of the journalists' syndicate."
Anwar affirmed that "there are more than 1,700 licensed media outlets approved by official authorities and the journalists' syndicate, operating in Kurdistan."
He pointed out that "there are also approximately 980 print media institutions, but their operations have declined due to the decreased interest in print journalism," indicating that "the presence of this large number of institutions is a healthy phenomenon."