After calls to President Barzani: Journalist freed on bail in Kurdistan

Shafaq News – Erbil

Authorities in Erbil released NRT Channel Director Shwan Adel on bail, Shafaq News correspondent reported on Sunday, following appeals to Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani over his detention.

The Shaqlawa Court of Investigation issued a 15-day detention order against Adel earlier today, though the reasons for the case remain undisclosed. The development follows the August 12 arrest of Shaswar Abdulwahid, NRT owner and leader of the New Generation Movement (Al-Jeel Al-Jadeed), who received a five-month prison sentence over an unresolved judicial file in al-Sulaymaniyah.

In response, the Metro Center for journalists’ rights urged Barzani to ensure Adel’s release and to have his case handled under the Journalism Law rather than through criminal procedures. The center described the response as constructive, confirming it had received assurances that the legal process for his bail was underway.

The organization further noted that “while Kurdistan’s laws on press freedom, access to information, freedom of assembly, and domestic-violence prevention are more advanced than those in the rest of Iraq, the real issue lies in their lack of implementation.”

Read more: Silenced voices: The treacherous reality for journalists in Iraq

Kurdistan registered a 22% drop in assaults against journalists in 2024—182 incidents involving 176 journalists and outlets, down from 231 cases the previous year. Despite the decline, the watchdog warned that “the path toward sustainable press freedom remains long.”