Lawyers for Kurdish journalist Suleyman Ahmed, who has been missing for 113 days after being detained at Iraqi Kurdistan border, are preparing to take their fight to the Iraqi Federal Court, alleging wrongdoing by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the journalist’s case.
The lawyers claim that the security forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which are responsible for his detention, are violating Iraqi law.
Ahmed, editor of the Arabic service of Roj News, was returning to Iraqi Kurdistan from his family home in north-eastern Syria when he was arrested at the Sêmalka border crossing on 25 October.
Duhok security forces confirmed his arrest in a statement six days later, but claimed it was ‘unrelated to journalism’. This was the only and last information they’ve provided so far.
Ahmed’s sudden disappearance has caused alarm among journalists and human rights defenders. Allegedly held by the KDP’s Parastin intelligence agency, efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful, leaving his family in a state of desperate uncertainty.
Nerîman Ehmed Reşid, Ahmed’s lawyer, told the Hawar News Agency (ANHA) of extensive attempts to contact Ahmed and highlighted the obstruction of their rightful legal access. Despite initial information that Ahmet was being held by security forces in Duhok, repeated statements that “he is not here” have frustrated their efforts.
The journalist’s lawyers have made more than 10 requests to meet Ahmet, but even after obtaining court orders for a meeting, no access has been granted.
Under Iraqi law, the length of detention is not predetermined until the investigation is complete. Individuals can be detained until the investigation is complete, after which they should be referred to the judiciary.
