Kurdish Journalist Omar Arrested in Iraq

Surwan Omar, editor of the magazine Rika and the Kurdistan News agency, was arrested in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region on 17 March as a result of a complaint by Raniyah mayor Jiwar Gorna about a report criticising abuse of authority by several politicians in the region.

Omar’s family is concerned about plans to transfer him to Raniyah for trial, believing he would get a fairer trial in another province such as Sulaymaniyah where local politicians were not targeted by the report. No date has been so far set for the trial.

Arrests and convictions of journalists and other press freedom violations are common in Iraqi Kurdistan, says Reporters without Borders (RSF/AG).