Shafaq News/ The city of Al-Sulaymaniyah witnessed the unveiling of the "Guardians of Truth" monument on Saturday, commemorating journalists who lost their lives while performing their professional duties in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

During the ceremony, the head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, Muayyad Al-Lami, highlighted “the severe challenges facing journalists in Iraq and Kurdistan,” calling for “joint efforts”

“The monument is a symbol of [the journalists’] resilience and sacrifice.” He said.

Kurdish Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani underscored the importance of preserving press freedom amid the difficult circumstances the region is facing. “we must protect freedom in press.”

Over the past two decades, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have seen an increase in the targeting of journalists, particularly after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

RSF said in a recent report that it “has observed a surge in press freedom violations since late June, including attacks against journalists, arrests, and a conviction…”

Journalists also face numerous legal and political challenges, including defamation lawsuits, arbitrary detentions, and unfair trials. Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have been criticized for their assaults on press freedom, including arbitrary detentions and physical assaults on journalists.

The Metro Center for Journalists Rights and Advocacy, a Kurdish media watchdog, recorded 249 violations against journalists and media outlets in 2023, a decrease from the 431 violations documented in 2022.

Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, ranks 169 out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Last August, a Turkish drone strike in Al-Sulaymaniyah resulted in the deaths of two journalists and injuries to another.