UK Kurds Condemn Continued Imprisonment of Sherwan Sherwani and Omed Baroshki

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By KurdFile Media | 07.08.2025

Kurdish activists across the United Kingdom have intensified calls for the release of imprisoned journalists Sherwan Sherwani and Omed Baroshki, whose detentions are widely seen as politically motivated by the ruling authorities in the Kurdistan Region.

Demonstrations were held in front of the Iraqi Embassy in London, and in the cities of Cardiff and Newcastle, as part of a coordinated protest organized by members of the Kurdish diaspora and supported by KurdFile Media.

In London, protesters rallied outside the embassy, holding placards and reading out statements denouncing the judiciary’s role in silencing critical voices, witnessed our team member Mr Harki. They demanded an end to what they described as “fabricated extensions of unjust sentences” and called on the Iraqi federal government and international human rights bodies to intervene.

In Cardiff, demonstrators gathered at the city centre, delivering speeches condemning the use of courts as tools for political retaliation, especially against journalists exposing corruption and abuse. Activists warned that such repression sends a dangerous message to anyone who dares to speak out in the Kurdistan Region.

Meanwhile, in Newcastle, Kurdish youth organizations held a vigil, highlighting how both journalists have become symbols of resistance for freedom of expression across Kurdistan. Protesters noted that Sherwan Sherwani, whose sentence was due to end in September, now faces new charges aimed at prolonging his imprisonment. Omed Baroshki, too, was recently sentenced to another six months simply for posting a Facebook comment.

“These prosecutions are not legal; they are political,” said one speaker in London. “They want to exhaust the courage of every journalist by making an example out of Sherwan and Omed.”

London footage for KurdFile Media

Cardiff footage for KurdFile Media