On 16 February, the Second Erbil Criminal Court, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, sentenced five journalists—Sherwan Sherwani, Guhdar Zebari, Hariwan Issa, Ayaz Karan, and Shvan Saeed—to six years in prison following a blatantly unfair trial. All five of the men were well known for their reporting on the political protests that have been ongoing in the region since 2016, led by teachers and other government employees whose salaries the state has repeatedly failed to pay. They have also written extensively about government corruption.
The case has garnered significant attention from Iraqi and international human rights, civil rights, and freedom of the press organizations, all of which emphasize its many legal irregularities.
ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY EMAIL:
Dr. Dindar Zebari, KRG Coordinator for International Advocacy, Kurdistan Regional Government
Email: dindar.zebari@gov.krd
Fareed Yasseen, Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S. in Washington, D.C.
Email: ambassadoroffice@iraqiembassy.us
Demand the immediate and unconditional release of Sherwan Sherwani, Guhdar Zebari, Hariwan Issa, Ayaz Karan, and Shvan Saeed.
The men were accused and found guilty of “espionage” and “destabilizing the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.” However, the evidence the prosecution presented in court was that they had spoken with representatives of the United Nations, International NGOs, and the United States Consulate General about violations of human rights in their country.
All the defendants made allegations of torture and other abusive treatment that the court failed to investigate. “Confessions” by the accused were submitted in court. All five defendants said the confessions were made under duress and were not accurate.
The prosecution presented written testimony from Sherwani’s friend who claimed Sherwani disclosed plans to organize violent actions. The witness did not appear in court and the judge refused the defense lawyers’ request to cross-examine the witness. The prosecution also played a phone call recording, in which they alleged Guhdar Zebari asked civil activist, Maki Amedi to hack and deactivate Sherwan Sherwani’s Facebook account after he was arrested. The defendant, Zebari denied making the phone call. The judge agreed to the defense lawyers’ request to have the recording inspected by experts, but the inspection was never carried out.
In advance of the trial, the Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani made prejudicial statements asserting that journalists and activists were “spies” and “saboteurs” working for other countries. This has led to widespread belief that the trial was politically motivate and based on trumped up charges. The judges considered the case for less than nine hours and deliberated for only fifteen minutes before issuing a verdict and a sentence, which legal experts agree is an inordinately brief duration for a trial involving matters of national security.
The five journalists are now on hunger strike as they await an appeal verdict. They are detained in overcrowded cells with no room to sleep, stand or walk, together with over 100 prisoners. In such conditions, the journalists and other detainees are particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19.
