23/10/2016
KRG Peshmerga Ministry blocked the Kurdish NRT from covering the ongoing battles in Mosul. the Ministry said that both Kurdish ex MP Adnan Uthman and and journalist Kamal Rauf, underestimated Peshmerga forces on one of the live programs broadcasted by NRT. Accordingly this decision was made to prohibit them from accompanying the forces in Mosul.
the Ministry confirmed that the ban was imposed against them through Erbil exits precisely on the background of what they described as being underestimated and unappreciated by the former KRG MP.
Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq considers this banning as a dire and clear violation to the Iraqi constitution, and all the agreements signed between the central and KR governments that stipulate the freedom in exercising journalism, information and publishing.
the association considers this attitude as a clear impudence by which KRG is oppressing press freedom through the Peshmerga Ministry in order to force them not to criticize Peshmerga forces in any way, at the same time the government of Kurdistan allowed the entrance and facilitated the work of many of tens of foreign journalists in order to cover recent events. It also provided special security for an Israeli journalist. Kurdish press is
suppressed and prevented from acquiring the latest coordinate for the benefit of the Kurds throughout this situation.
The association demands that KRG reconsiders its attitude towards Kurdish media and allows its institutions to exercise their Duty freely in the region and to comply with valid regulations and laws in both Iraq and KRG.
