Sileman Ehmed, an editor of Rojnews Arabic service, appeared before the court today, 279 days after his abduction by the KDP. The court, working under the instruction of the KDP, sentenced the Kurdish journalist to 3 years in prison on charges of being a member of the PYD, a political party based in Rojava.

Speaking to RojNews, the journalist's lawyer Neriman Ehmed said that Sileman Ehmed should have been tried according to the law on journalism, but the court sentenced him based on Article 21, paragraph 1. She stated that there was great pressure during the trial and that the lawyers were allowed to attend the trial only at the end of the hearing.

Neriman Ehmed said that Sileman Ehmed rejected the document prepared for him, which was written in Sorani language and not read out. Two witnesses emphasised that Ehmed had been working as a journalist for Rojnews agency for 4 years, said the lawyer and noted that this decision was not legal and that they would appeal. She also stated that the court panel did not allow UNAMI to be present at the hearing and that UNAMI will make a statement on this obstruction.

Sileman Ehmed went to visit his family in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood of Aleppo on 1 October 2023 and was abducted by KDP forces on 25 October 2023 while passing through the Sêmalka border crossing. The first contact with him was granted on 22 May 2024 when lawyers met with him at the Duhok public security.