So called SWAT security forces detained the journalist Heymen Mamend, head of Zamdar Foundation for translation and Publishing, at the time that he was demonstrating against corruption that spread in all governmental institutions especially the Ministry of Natural Resources, in front of the building of KRG PM.

Civil activist Ribaz Mustafa, who accompanied Heymen in the demonstrations told Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq about the detention clarifying that there was a whole group preparing for this demonstration, but they were surprised with a dense existence of security forces and the detaining of Heymen and Ribaz who was released alone. The demonstrations erupted on the background of Dana Gas Petroleum Company claim against KRG in the American and English courts due to Kurdistan’s unanswered dues. Information suggests that the journalists was led to the Khanqah police station’s jail which is near to the PM building.

At the time that Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq expresses its dire concern about the rising mouth muzzling phenomena in KRG, it considers the detention of the journalist a dangerous violation to the Iraqi constitution and international agreements that Iraq has signed including KRG. The association invites and urges all international organizations concerned with freedom of journalism, Human Rights, and legal ones to interfere to save journalists of KRG, since it has been witnessing many illegal incidents and violations.