Draw Media Report of Press Freedom in Kurdistan Region (2008-2022)

Draw Media’s recent report on press freedom in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq from 2008 to 2022 paints a grim picture of increasing violations against journalists, particularly during periods of public unrest.

2011 Demonstrations: Between February 17 and April 19, during the longest protests in the region, over 200 violations against journalists were documented.
March 2018 Protests: The Metro Center reported 78 violations against 48 journalists and media outlets in just the first four days of protests.
August 2022 Protests: During widespread protests by salaried workers, 78 violations against 60 journalists and media channels were recorded, with 25 journalists arrested in a single day.

The report highlights that the Kurdistan Region remains the only area in Iraq where journalists are regularly imprisoned. CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour emphasized that, aside from Syria, Iraqi Kurdistan, not Baghdad, continues to detain journalists, citing cases such as Sherwan Sherwani, Guhdar Zebari, and Omid Broshki.
Draw media report 2008-2022 The state of press freedom in Kurdistan