Iraqi Kurdistan upholds prison sentences for journalists
ARBIL, Iraq: An appeals court in Iraqi Kurdistan on Tuesday upheld six-year jail sentences for five journalists and activists, after a trial criticised by rights groups.
Defence lawyer Aso Hashem told AFP that "three of the five judges of the cassation court upheld the sentence" passed February 16 by a court in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. Former judge and lawmaker Latif Moustafa, who left the Kurdish judicial system over its politicisation, confirmed the ruling.
Journalists Ayaz Karam, Kohidar Zebari and Sherwan Sherwani, along with activists Shivan Saed and Harwian Issa faced multiple charges, including "inciting protests and destabilising" Kurdistan, as well as "spying", "armed" struggle and "misuse of electronic devices".