Qubad Talabani: Sulaymaniyah is the Bravest City of Iraq

Kurdistan 09:01 PM - 2026-05-10

Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region.

In the presence of Qubad Talabani, honorary awards were presented to a number of honest, courageous, and professional journalists at the Guardians of Truth Monument in Sulaymaniyah on Sunday, 10 May 2026, where Talabani stated that “Sulaymaniyah is the capital of freedom and culture, and no force can undermine the freedom of this city or silence its voice.”

Talabani delivered a speech during the ceremony, in which he said: “I am pleased to be among you today and honoured to serve alongside some of the founders of free media in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. It is a great privilege to participate in this ceremony with you.”

This Place is Sacred for Two Reasons

He added: “We are gathered today in a place that is sacred for two reasons. First, it is sacred because courageous people were executed and martyred here for the freedom of their land and country. Second, it is sacred because it is the Guardians of Truth Monument, which honours journalists who sacrificed their lives for the sake of truth.”

Sulaymaniyah is the Bravest City of Iraq

Talabani spoke about the history of Sulaymaniyah and its long struggle for freedom, saying: “We are in a place called Sulaymaniyah. Sulaymaniyah has always been known as the capital of culture, it has been known as the city of freedom. We are in a place whose spirit of freedom is so strong that no authority, force, or individual has ever been able to suppress it. Even the most brutal regime in Iraq’s history — the regime of Saddam Hussein — was unable to silence the freedom of Sulaymaniyah.”

He added: “Sulaymaniyah is the bravest city of Kurdistan and Iraq. Even when mistakes are made by the authorities or security forces, civil society activists, intellectuals, critics, and journalists quickly step forward to expose those mistakes. They also work closely with those within the institutions who remain loyal to the values of freedom, so that whenever mistakes occur — as they have in the past and, unfortunately, may occur again in the future — they are addressed at an early stage. This is what distinguishes Sulaymaniyah from other places. We listen to those who care, to critics, and to those who are committed to preserving the proud and respected name of Sulaymaniyah.”

Holding an Annual Forum on Freedom

In his speech, the Deputy Prime Minister called for an annual forum on freedom, saying: “I ask that we gather every year for the sake of freedom, for the sake of freedom of expression, and for the sake of respecting those who are hurt or oppressed for the sake of freedom, in order to hold honest dialogue aimed at reducing and eliminating such violations. Therefore, I call for an annual forum that brings together journalists, guardians of freedom, intellectuals, civil society activists, experts, and politicians to discuss the obstacles facing freedom of expression and to identify practical solutions.”

Freedom Has Two Enemies

Talabani also stated that freedom has two main adversaries, saying: “Freedom and freedom of expression have two enemies. The first are those who fear freedom and who are afraid of criticism. They are forces, individuals, parties, and authorities that stand against transparency and truth. These are enemies of freedom.” 

“But there is also another enemy that is not often mentioned: those who interpret freedom as chaos. Under the banner of freedom, they defame people and spread baseless accusations, attempting to mislead society,” he added. “Therefore, to confront these two enemies, I call on all guardians of freedom — all those who believe in genuine freedom and freedom of expression — to stand together against them and to confront those who oppose freedom and those who harm individuals for expressing their opinions and to also confront those who spread baseless allegations and distort facts in order to violate human dignity.” 

“This responsibility cannot be carried out by the authorities, a single party, or a single administration alone. It requires the collective effort of the authorities, universities, institutions, journalists, guardians of freedom, and civil society activists,” Talabani noted.

There are People in Power Who Believe in Freedom

At the end of his speech, Talabani thanked the audience and said: “I thank you for always caring about freedom and for consistently supporting it. Some of you have faced cruelty and oppression... We assure you that you are not alone. We also assure you that, no matter how critical you are of the government, there are people in power who believe in freedom, democracy, and coexistence. There are people in positions of authority who tolerate criticism and are willing to sit down with you openly to discuss these issues.”

It is noteworthy that the Guardians of Truth Monument in Sulaymaniyah, which was installed in 2024, chronicles the stories of 551 journalists who selflessly sacrificed their lives in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to ensure the sharing of truth and facts. 



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