Chawder Foundation Seized Amid Growing Political Control Over Media
The Metro Center for Journalists Rights and Advocacy has condemned the seizure of the Chawder Enlightenment Foundation’s headquarters in Sulaimani by security forces linked to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), highlighting the increasing dangers facing journalism and independent media in the Kurdistan Region.
The Chawder Foundation, established in 2007 by long-time PUK member Mala Bakhtiar, was a prominent media and cultural organization. On Thursday, PUK-linked forces seized its headquarters, an act Bakhtiar blamed on PUK leader Bafel Talabani, with whom he has had a falling out. Bakhtiar criticized the move as an attempt to silence voices critical of the party’s leadership.
The Metro Center voiced concerns about the broader implications of the raid, stating, “We consider it our duty to stand against all attempts to silence, close down, and end civil, media, and intellectual institutions.” The center stressed that the incident undermines Sulaimani’s reputation as the cultural capital of the Kurdistan Region.
The seizure of Chawder is seen as part of a wider problem in the Kurdistan Region, where most media platforms are owned or controlled by powerful political parties. Sons of political leaders, including those from the PUK and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), dominate the media landscape, owning TV channels and news outlets that often align with the interests of their families.
Chawder’s case serves as a prominent example of the growing control of media by ruling parties. The PUK’s financial arm claimed that the Chawder building and its equipment were party property and had been “taken back” for organizational activities. However, critics, including the Independent Commission for Human Rights, condemned the raid as a violation of free expression and cultural freedom.
Mala Bakhtiar, a key figure in the PUK for decades, has had a public falling out with Bafel Talabani, accusing him and his brother Qubad Talabani, the Kurdistan Region’s deputy prime minister, of orchestrating a power grab within the party during its last congress. Bakhtiar claims that his contributions to the party are being repaid with betrayal.
As political control over media grows tighter, journalists and independent organizations in Kurdistan face increasing challenges, with many warning that freedom of expression and press independence are under severe threat in the region.
