To: The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, United States Secretary of State
From: A group of journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan
Subject: Request for action
Date: May 11, 2010
We are extremely concerned by the targeted killing of the Kurdish journalist student Sardasht Osman in Iraqi Kurdistan. On May 4th, 2010, he was kidnapped from school, Salahudin University in Erbil, by a group of armed men, and on May 6th, 2010, his body was found in the suburbs of the Mosul province, bearing wounds of torture and gun shots in the head. The episode is a major and dangerous breach on the freedom of press and Iraqi democracy, which has cost thousands of Iraqi and American lives, especially as your government is preparing a major drawdown of American troops in Iraq.
The independent press in Iraqi Kurdistan has become a target of undo pressure by the ruling parties. In the summer of 2008, Soran Mama Hama was the target of a ruthless killing. Unfortunately, many other journalists are continuously harassed, threatened, physically attacked and verbally abused. These incidents are extensively documented by numerous international organizations, including Reporters without Borders and Human Rights Watch.
The stability and security of Iraq is an important interest of your administration. It must be realized that such illegal breaches on the press, especially, the recent abduction and killing of Sardasht Osman, constitute a major threat to the stability of Kurdistan region, which is an important part of Iraq. Our region was largely neglected by the former administration in Washington, so we, as independent journalists, appeal to you to intervene and put an end to the pressure on the free press in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Signed
Ahmad Mira, Editor-in-Chief of Lvin magazine
Kamal Rauf, Editor-in-Chief of Hawlati newspaper
Asos Hardi, Editor-in-Chief of Awene newspaper
Dana Asaad, editor of Niqash and Awene newspaper
Khabat Nawzad, AKNEWS reporter in Halabja
Alan Daudey, Editor, Radio Curdonia Holland
Soran Pallani, freelance journalist
Halgurd Samad, Lvin editor
Masud Abdulkhaliq, Editor-in-Chief of Standard Magazine
Ibrahim Ali, Lvin magazine editor
Sarwar Salar Chuchani, freelance journalist
Kamal Chomani, freelance journalist
Saya Fars Editor inchief of Yaktaparsi
Dlshad Hartali, Islampaik editor
Salam Karim Ali
Sabah Ali Qaraman, freelance journalist
Nasih Abdulrahim, freelance journalist
Dyari Mohammad, journalist
Hiwa Abdulla, journalist
Rebin Fatah, editor of Rojname newspaper
Baram Subhi, Karkuk Awene correspondent
Mahmud Yasin Kurdi, Lvin Magazine
Koshan Zamani, editor in Union newspaper
Qadr Nadr, freelance and independent writer and journalist
Soran Umar, Editor-in-chief of REGA magazine
Shankar Abdulla, editor in REGA magazine
Abdulla Hwayyiz, Union Newspaper
Dahen Hashm, KNN satellite Channel
Haval Nazhad, Standard columnist
Farman Rashad, Reporter in Standard newspaper
Mustafa Muhammad, Kurdistani New
Hemn Fareed, columnist and freelance journalist
Salm Hama Khan, reporter for Radio Nawa and Aso newspaper
Sherko Jalal, columnist
Bakhtyar Sayid
Shwan Muhammad, Awene newspaper
Kazhaw Jamal, Hawlati editor
HemnMamand, Awene reporter
Diyar Azizi Sharif, freelance journalist
Hemn Baqr, Deputy Editor-in-chief of Lvin
Kamaran Muhammad, Fshar editor
Hazhar Anwar
Awara Hamid, Sbeiy reporter
Mariwan Mala Hasan, KNN reporter
Burhan Qadir, Hawlati editor
Saman Basharati, KNN reporter
Salah Mazin, writer
Nahro Alayi, Editor-in-Chief of Ashtinama
Almas Muhammad
ShilanYasin
BakhtyarPalani
Niyaz Abdulla, Editor-in-Chief of Warvin Magazine
Nizar Gzali, Awene editor
Rasul Sultani
Shawqi Kanabi, Chief Report of KNN in Erbil
Zaniyar Asa’ad
Isa Khdir, Awene and Chawyxelk reporter in Hawler
Hangaw Hashim
Sarkhel Hashim
Shamar Akrawi
Lanja Abdulla
Hemnin Karim Mamrash
Avan Faris Jaf
Farhad Mala Hasan
Farman Sadiq
Saman Faruq
Wrya Baqr
Farhad Hirani
Namo Abdulla, Editor-in-Chief, Hawler Tribune
Nabaz Goran, Editor-in-Chief, Jeehan Magazine
Bryar Namiq, KNN reporter
Baram Subhi, Awene reporter in Kirkuk
Sirwan Husen
Ara Ibrahim
Soran Ahmad
Mheden Najmadin
Koral Hama Nuri
Hersh Abdulrahman
Adnan Kochar
Faraydun Hama Rashid
Hemn Amin Shwani
Rezhin Ibrahim
Parezomer
Hisham Akreyi
