Following the deadly drone attack on Friday that killed Kurdish journalists Gülistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn in Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî), media institutions in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) have issued strong condemnations, highlighting severe breaches of international protocols designed to protect journalists.
Karwan Enver, head of the Kurdistan Region Journalists’ Syndicate in Sulaymaniyah, underscored that the attack violates the 1954 Geneva Convention, which mandates the protection of journalists even in conflict zones. “Journalists have the responsibility to convey the truth to society,” Enver stated, adding, “Today, we see that all agreements and protocols meant to protect journalists are being violated. Targeting journalists is a breach of human rights and an outright violation of every protocol aimed at their protection.” He further announced that the Kurdistan Region Journalists’ Syndicate would collaborate with international organisations to raise global awareness about this “unwanted event.”
Rahman Xerîb, a director at the Metro Centre, a Kurdish press freedom organisation, echoed these concerns, attributing the attacks to the “silence and inaction” of both the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Governments. Xerîb criticised the ongoing incursions by foreign forces into Iraqi territory, stating that these actions represent a blatant violation of Iraqi and Kurdish sovereignty. He also warned of the “dangerous development” where Kurdish security institutions are spreading misinformation ahead of Turkish intelligence, further exacerbating the situation.
These statements are part of a broader outcry from Kurdish media and human rights organisations, who are demanding accountability and stronger protections for journalists in the region.
