17Shubat Organization Marks 15th Anniversary of Sardasht Osman’s Assassination

Manchester, UK – May 5, 2025
Members of the 17Shubat Organization for Human Rights gathered today outside the Iraqi Consulate in Manchester to mark the 15th anniversary of the assassination of Kurdish journalist Sardasht Osman. Osman, a freelance writer, was abducted and murdered in 2010, with widespread allegations pointing to the involvement of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

Protesters condemned what they described as ongoing impunity for political killings in the Kurdistan Region. They also criticized the judiciary’s failure to hold anyone accountable for Osman’s death.

The demonstration comes amid continued warnings from Amnesty International over the repression of journalists in the region. Many reporters, they noted, have been forced into exile or silenced under threat.

Activists at the event linked Osman’s murder to broader patterns of violence against the press, referencing other slain journalists like Kawa Garmiani. They held the Barzani and Talabani families responsible for what they called systematic targeting of dissenting voices.

Organizers said the protest aimed to honor Sardasht Osman’s legacy and to reaffirm support for press freedom and human rights in Kurdistan.