Omed Haje Baroshki, a Kurdish journalist and founder of the shuttered news outlet Rast Media, has once again been summoned to the Duhok court for a hearing on 15 September. This development highlights the ongoing crackdown on independent journalism and critics of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Baroshki, known for his outspoken criticism of the KDP’s collaboration with the Turkish state, has faced repeated legal challenges. His news agency, Rast Media, was forcibly closed following a raid by the KDP’s intelligence agency (Asayesh) in April 2023. Since the closure, Baroshki has continued his reporting via Facebook, where he regularly posts critical commentary.
On 25 June, protesting the Turkish army’s invasion of Iraqi Kurdistan, he shared a video on Facebook showing Turkish soldiers in Kesta village, Berwari region, equipped with heavy weapons. He accompanied the video with a message:
“How painful it is that the occupiers are free in your country. This occupation is not just against a political group or party, but against our entire country and people. Wake up, Kurds. Shame on the rulers who assist the invaders in every way to attack our land and country.”
On 15 June, Baroshki condemned the KDP’s actions, stating:
“The existence of the KDP is a great threat to Kurdistan. In 2017, they withdrew from Shingal (Sinjar) and Nineveh and handed these areas to the Popular Mobilisation Forces without conflict. Now, the KDP is repeating these actions by withdrawing its forces from Deveri Bala and Nhele, leaving them to Turkish troops. Does this party claim to protect Kurdistan? Yes, the existence of this party is the biggest threat to Kurdistan and our people.”
Baroshki was previously arrested in Duhok governorate in 2020, as part of a crackdown on dozens of activists and journalists known as the Badinan prisoners.
On 22 June 2021, he was sentenced, for the first time, to one year in prison for violating Article 2 of the law on misuse of communication devices. Additionally, he was fined 240,000 Iraqi dinars (approximately US$165) for disobeying a government official under Article 240 of the Iraqi Penal Code. From 2020 to 2022, he served 18 months in prison on similar charges stemming from his critical social media posts.
Earlier, CPJ Middle East and North Africa Representative Ignacio Miguel Delgado had stated that, “Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq should immediately release Baroshki, drop the charges against him, and cease harassing the media.”
The repression of independent journalists and critics of the KDP shows no signs of abating. Baroshki’s case underscores the broader efforts by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to suppress free journalism and silence opposition voices.
According to media outlets, in recent years, approximately 100 journalists and activists in the Badinan region have been detained for criticising KDP policies. Some have been convicted, some are in ongoing legal proceedings, and others are still awaiting trial for protesting against the KRG.
Zoom News reporter Hejin Fatah and her cameraman, as the latest instances of repression against free journalistic activity, were released this morning following their arrest by Duhok security forces while covering the Turkish military operation in Amedi district.
