Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the KurdistanJournalists Syndicate (KJS) reported a significant decrease in violationsagainst journalists in the Kurdistan Region during 2024.
During a press conference, Mohammed Aqrawi,a member of the Syndicate, announced that the annual report recorded 43incidents affecting 73 journalists across the Kurdistan Region. “Theseviolations included obstruction of journalistic duties, physical assaults, andthe confiscation of equipment by certain security entities.”
The report also noted 13 cases in Erbil, 9each in Duhok and Al-Sulaymaniyah, 5 in the Soran Administration, 3 in theGarmyan Administration, 2 in Halabja, and additional cases involving KurdistanRegion journalists in Kirkuk and Nineveh, with 2 and 3 cases, respectively.
Aqrawi highlighted a positive developmentin 2024, stating that “no violations were recorded against female journalists,”a significant improvement compared to previous years.
The Syndicate stressed the importance ofcontinued collaboration between security forces and journalists to safeguardpress freedoms. It urged respect for journalists’ rights and the implementationof legal measures to protect them while they carry out their duties.
In turn, Vian Abbas, head of theSyndicate’s Duhok branch, attributed the decline in cases to “improvedcooperation between security authorities and the Syndicate.”
She noted that this collaboration hasfostered a safer environment for journalists and enhanced their freedom ofmovement, enabling them to perform their duties with fewer restrictions.
Notably, KJS reported 45 cases ofviolations against media and journalists' rights in 2023, compared to 73 casesin 2022. According to KJS statistics, a total of 1,289 violations were recordedagainst journalists over a 15-year period from 2008 to 2022.