Socialist MP Amineh Kakabaveh has recently submitted a written motion to the Swedish Parliament to discuss the violations of rights in Southern Kurdistan and demanded that Sweden take an attempt to end the violations.

Kakabaveh's motion was discussed in the Swedish Parliament yesterday. Foreign Minister Ann Linde recalled that there has been an increase in arbitrary arrests and attacks on activists and journalists in Iraq which ranked 156th in a 2019 report by the Reporters Without Borders and was went down to 162nd in 2020 version of the same report.

Reminding that Sweden was interested in the cases of journalists Sherwan Sherwani and Guhdar Zebari who received six years each in jail in February by an Iraqi Kurdish court, Linde made the following assessment of the developments in Southern Kurdistan:

"Developments in the Kurdistan region of Iraq show that the political climate is getting harsher against critical voices. With great concern, I noted that 3 journalists and 2 activists, including Sherwan Sherwani, were sentenced to 6 years in prison for “spying and organizing armed groups” against the government. I find it very worrisome that they were arrested and convicted without legal support."

Linde emphasized that they had addressed violations of human rights, freedom of expression and democracy During her meeting with the Kurdistan Regional Government in Baghdad and Hewler (Erbil), and that they will continue to do so. She said that Sweden played an important role in bringing the violations of rights in Iraq to the agenda of the United Nations and the European Union.

Speaking after Linde, MP Kakabaveh said she attached importance to the minister at least caring about human rights and freedom of the press in Kurdistan. “It is sad to stand and voice criticism here as a Kurd. Yet, this is important for the fighting socialists, feminists and activists,” she said.

Kakabaveh noted that the Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders and the Human Right Watch and some US politicians criticized the arrests of the journalists in Southern Kurdistan.

'PUNISHED FOR CRITICIZING BARZANI AND RESEARCHING CORRUPTION'

Kakabaveh pointed out that the journalists were punished for criticizing the rulers of the country, especially Masrour Barzani, and researching the corruption.

JOURNALIST SHERWANI ACCUSED OF SPYING

Reminding that Sherwani attended a seminar held in the Swedish Parliament as a speaker two years ago and had meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and non-governmental organizations, Kakabaveh said that one of the accusations against Sherwani was to meet with people abroad. She said he was accused of spying by the government.

Kakabaveh also noted that Sherwani and other prisoners had spoken to their lawyers on the phone and the lawyers said they were not given information on the indictment and the charges against their clients. She added that Sherwani was told that her wife would be raped if he did not accept the charges of espionage against him.

Kakabaveh pointed out that the attacks were also directed against opposition politicians.

"It is not easy to criticize the regional government. The picture I showed you of a colleague from the Gorran Party serving in the Iraqi Parliament. He was attacked with knives by three men on his way home for criticizing the government. Masrour ​​Barzani's tribe said that if the three attackers were not released, they would attack the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). While the three attackers were released, the journalists were sentenced to 6 years in jail. “

Answering ANF’s questions after the discussion in the Swedish parliament, Kakabaveh said she was content that Ann Linde slammed the violations of rights in both Iraq and Southern Kurdistan.

The MP said she was aware that democracy and freedom of the press cannot be built in a day or a year, but the pressure and attacks by the Barzanis, who have ruled Southern Kurdistan for 30 years, against journalists and human rights defenders are unacceptable.

Reminding that Sweden has been supporting the administration in Southern Kurdistan for 30 years, Kakabaveh continued, “It is important that Sweden and Foreign Minister Ann Linde demand the release of journalists and human rights defenders. According to their lawyers, the journalists were tortured psychologically and physically.”

“But above all, Sweden should support those who struggle for women's rights, human rights and freedom of expression,” she added.