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Journalist Bazyani held in Al-Sulaymaniyah, rights center urges release

Journalist Bazyani held in Al-Sulaymaniyah, rights center urges release
Journalist Bazyani held in Al-Sulaymaniyah, rights center urges release

2025-02-05 19:02:54 - From: Shafaq News


Shafaq News/ Authorities inAl-Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region, arrested Kurdish journalist Bashdar Bazyani,the Metro Center for the defense of journalists' rights announced on Wednesday.

"This afternoon, journalist Bazyaniwas informed to visit the Sarchnar Police Station in Al-Sulaymaniyah, where hewas interrogated and then transferred to the Criminal Court. A court order wasissued for his detention until February 9,” the center stated.

Journalists Sardasht Hama Salih andDana Salih went to the detention center to visit their detained colleague butwere reportedly denied access.

The rights center called for theimmediate release of Bazyani on bail, stressing the need to “handlejournalistic cases under the Press Law and avoid applying alternative laws tojournalists concerning their media work and freedom of expression.”

In 2022, Al-Sulaymaniyah InvestigationCourt sentenced Bazyani to ten days in detention after two lawsuits werefiled against him by the mayor of the province and an investor over hiscoverage of a corruption case involving the sale of public land.

A year later, Al-Sulaymaniyah Policeraided Bazyani's home, detaining him for about 10 hours. The journalistconfirmed undergoing prolonged interrogation over a lawsuit filed by Ali Babir,leader of the Kurdistan Islamic Justice Group, after he reported on corruptionallegations involving the movement's political office leadership.

The journalist further revealed in2024 that he had three outstanding arrest warrants and was being pursued by thepolice and courts “without proper adherence to the Region’s journalism laws.”