UK Kurdish Activists Protest KDP’s Role in Journalist’s Assassination

The 17 Shubat Organization staged coordinated demonstrations across five major UK cities, London, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, and Birmingham to protest the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) alleged role in the assassination of Kurdish journalist Wadat Hussien in Duhok.

Protesters gathered outside key landmarks and public spaces, holding placards and chanting slogans condemning political violence and the targeting of independent journalists. They demanded accountability for Hussien’s killing, which they described as part of a broader pattern of silencing dissent in the Kurdistan Region.

Organizers from 17 Shubat stressed that the demonstrations were not only to honor Wadat Hussien’s memory but also to draw international attention to the ongoing threats against journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan.

“Freedom of the press is under attack in Kurdistan. We will not remain silent while those in power use assassination to control the narrative,” a spokesperson for the organization said.

Participants called on the UK government, human rights organizations, and international media to pressure the KDP and Kurdistan Regional Government to launch a transparent investigation and hold the perpetrators to account.

The protests marked another step in the diaspora’s growing activism against political repression in Kurdistan, echoing similar demonstrations held in Europe and North America in recent years.

Wadat Hussien, a 28-year-old Kurdish journalist from Duhok, was known for his reporting on corruption, human rights violations, and political abuses in the Kurdistan Region. He worked with local and international media outlets, often covering sensitive stories critical of the authorities.

On August 13, 2016, Hussien was abducted in broad daylight in Duhok and later found dead, showing signs of severe torture. His killing drew widespread condemnation from press freedom groups, who accused the KDP-controlled security forces of involvement. To date, no credible investigation has been carried out, and the perpetrators remain at large.

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