Duhok Court sentences journalist Omid Baroshki to prison over 'misusing social media'

On Thursday, journalist Omid Baroshki was sentenced to one year prison by the Duhok Court for "misusing social media."

Lawyer Revink Yassin told PUKmedia, "the Duhok Criminal Court sentenced journalist Omid Baroshki to another year in prison, on the charge of 'misusing social media,'" explaining that "the Second Criminal Court in Erbil will consider another file of journalist Baroshki.

It has been more than a year since (Badal Barwari and Omed Baroshki) have been detained by the general Asayish of Erbil, but due to the Judge's absence, their trials were postponed to October 10th, 2021. 

It is noteworthy that the trials of Badinan detainees left local and international echoes and a wave of condemnation and anger, as well as serious doubts about the independence of the judiciary in the Kurdistan Region.

Over a dozen of journalists and activists from Duhok (Badinan regions) are currently detained in Erbil for various charges including spying for foreign diplomatic missions, sending sensitive information to foreign entities and cooperating with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which are seen by the local community and the outside world as unfair and a clear violation of the freedom of speech.

The previous 5 Badinan journalists and activists' cases 

On 28 April, the Kurdistan Region's Court of Appeal in Erbil upheld the six-year prison sentence against Badinan activists and journalists, Sherwan Sherwani, Guhdar Zebari, Hariwan Issa, Ayaz Karam, and Shvan Saeed who were arrested in October 2020. 

The court ratified the decision last June and closed the case. In its ruling, the court rejected the defendants’ claims of torture and other ill-treatment, citing lack of evidence, while confirming the charges brought against the five activists and journalists include spying for the USA, Britain, and Germany, sending sensitive information to foreign entities and cooperating with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).  

The court's decision straight away resulted in condemnations locally and by foreign countries and international organizations. The US, Germany, UK, and Canada condemned the decision of the court regarding the imprisonment of journalists and activists in Duhok.  

Furthermore, international organizations, such as CPJ and International Organization of Freedom and Human Rights, and Amnesty International that advocate journalists' rights and freedom of expression also condemned the court's decision. Political parties in the Kurdistan Region including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Goran, also said they viewed the verdict as an attack on freedom of expression.



PUKmedia