Press release
7th May 2010
IFIR condemns the killing of
Kurdish Journalist Sardasht Othman
Sardasht Othman, a 23 year
old Kurdish journalist working in Erbil and
English language student was kidnapped on
Tuesday 4th of May at 8.30AM outside the
language department of Salahadin University in
the city of Erbil. His body was found in Mosul
on 6th May 2010.
Sardasht Othman worked for
the newspaper “Ashtiname” and for various
independent websites such as Awene.com,
Hawlati.info and Lvinpress.com. IFIR secretary
talked with his brother in Erbil who said,
“Sardasht had no enemies but he received
threatening phone calls several times”. They
believe he was killed because of an article he
wrote for “Ashtiname” about a senior member of
the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) is responsible for the security
in Northern Iraq and for the lives of the
people. It is therefore the responsibility of
the KRG to find and bring to justice the killers
of Sardasht Othman.
In the last 19 years many
journalists, political activists, members of
political parties and trade unions have been
tortured, arrested, kidnapped or killed by the
two main political parties in Kurdistan and
Islamist party.
IFIR condemns the killing of
Sardasht Othman. The KDP and KRG are responsible
for his death. IFIR demands justice for
Sardasht Othman.
IFIR defends the freedom of
political activity, press and freedom of thought
in Kurdistan.
The ruling parties and the
authorities in Kurdistan must announce their
commitment to freedom of thought, press and
political activities.
The murder of Sardasht Othman
shows that the propaganda of the European
countries, that Kurdistan is safe is not true.
The Kurdish people are in limbo their future
depends on an ever-changing US agenda and the
authoritarian PUK and KDP (the two ruling
parties of the KRG).
IFIR call all human rights
groups, political parties, trade unionists and
freedom loving people in the world to condemn
the killing of Sardasht Othman. IFIR asks for
them to direct their protest letters and action
to the KRG offices asking them to defend the
freedom of political activity, press and freedom
of thought in Kurdistan.
Long live freedom of
press, thought and political action.
If you have a fax, please send appeals via the
KRG office in London and ask them to be
forwarded to President of KRG. Fax Number: 0044
207 170 4301
International Federation of
Iraqi Refugees-IFIR
