Kurdistan press freedom: Indirect tactics still threaten journalists

Shafaq News/ Freedom of expression in the Kurdistan Region remains under pressure despite a reported decline in violations, the Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy cautioned on Saturday.

During a press conference in al-Sulaymaniyah to mark World Press Freedom Day, the Center’s Director, Dyaree Muhammed, challenged the significance of the reported drop in violations, arguing that “a quantitative decline in assaults does not indicate qualitative progress.”

Muhammed accused authorities of replacing overt repression with more subtle forms of control, describing a shift toward “indirect tactics” that continue to undermine independent journalism and free opinion. “These current methods are no less dangerous.”

He also urged Kurdish authorities to adhere to both national laws and international obligations that safeguard press freedom, warning that any erosion of these rights hinders democratic development and stifles societal advancement.