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‘Great leeway’ given to journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan, government says

Great leeway given to journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan government says
‘Great leeway’ given to journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan, government says

2019-05-18 00:00:00 - Source: Iraq News

06HEWLÊR-Erbil, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Coordinator for International Advocacy Dindar Zebari has said that a great deal of leeway is given to journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan Region in accordance with the journalism law.

During an interview with Voice of America-Kurdish published on Friday, Zebari said that there are an estimated 8,000 journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan and that many journalists do not have the necessary skills to operate within the law or acceptable practice.

“A lot of freedom has been given to that field according to the journalism law,” he said. “Journalists do not have the complete skills or legal background. They have trespassed in their jobs.”

“Becoming a journalist is very easy in the Kurdistan Region. It does not require sufficient education, meaning people without a degree, and that has created problems,” he added.

“A lack of skills and their large number are sometimes the reason for violations carried out against them because they were not professional.”

Statistics from the Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy showed that at least 28 violations against journalists had been recorded in the first four months of the year in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The statistics by the Kurdistan Journalists’ Syndicate shows that there were at least 132 cases of violations against 212 journalists in 2018, 52 of which involved preventing of journalists from covering events.

The KRG official also said that a specific court for journalists was not necessary in the Kurdistan Region, in response to a proposal by a human rights monitor.

“It has not been discussed at the level of judicial power and parliament because it has not been necessary.”

Head of the Independent Commission for Human Rights Zya Pitros argued earlier in May that cases involving journalists should be tried in a dedicated court and that journalists accused of non-violent misdemeanors related to their work should not housed in the general prison population.

The statistics by the Kurdistan Journalists’ Syndicate shows that there were at least 132 cases of violations against 212 journalists in 2018, 52 of which involved preventing of journalists from covering events.

Copyright © 2019, respective author or news agency, Ekurd.net | nrttv.com

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