On April 20, Marlene Förster and her Slovenian colleague Matej Kavčič were arrested in the main Yazidi settlement area of Şengal by Iraqi security forces and taken to Baghdad. Both had been researching the social development of the Yazidi community for months after the genocide perpetrated by the terrorist militia "Islamic State" (IS) against the ethno-religious ethnic group in 2014. The Iraqi authorities apparently accuse them of "terrorist support". One week after her abduction, it became known that Marlene Förster was being held at the headquarters of the Iraqi secret service.

People from Şengal, who know the two from their work in the region, have commented on the case to the RojNews news agency. They believe that by arresting the journalists, the Iraqi government wants to prevent the fate of the Yazidis from becoming public knowledge.

Şoreş Şengalî is a musician and works at the self-governing Institute for Art and Culture in Şengal. He says that he met the two journalists when they visited the institute: "The arrest is meant to prevent the Yazidi voices and colors, the culture and the long history of genocides against the Yazidi people from becoming public. The two journalists have done research on our culture and history and have lived among us. Their desire was to make the culture of Şengal known. Marlene emphasized that her goal was to make our culture known in Germany."

The musician condemns the arrest and says: "The government does not want our culture to spread around the world. I call on the governments of Germany and Slovenia to take swift steps for the release of their nationals. The people responsible for the arrests intend to destroy Yazidi culture."

Tehsîn Şengalî has also met Marlene Förster and Matej Kavčič. He works at the Institute of Health and says, "Both journalists stayed in Şengal, collected archival material and were interested in how people here live and rebuild their country. They took part in the Yazidi New Year (Çarşema Sor, Red Wednesday) celebrations. It is actually not in Iraqi interest to arrest them. This puts Iraq in a bad light and prevents people from wanting to come here. The German and Slovenian governments must intervene now.

We want journalists to continue to come here, to research and learn about our situation. We want it to become generally known what happened to us Yazidis, that books are written about it, which can still be read by our children in the future. Marlene Förster and Matej Kavčič wanted to be a mouthpiece for us and support us. It is unjust to accuse them under false pretenses. They should be released as soon as possible."