KRG Press Freedom Committee condemns PUK raid on cultural foundation

Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate’s Committee for the Protection of Press Freedom and Journalists condemned, on Friday, the actions of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's (PUK) special forces against the Jawder cultural foundation in al-Sulaimaniyah, describing it as a "threat to freedom of expression."

PUK’s political bureau denied claims that its military forces had taken over the Jawder Foundation, which is managed by politician Mulla Bakhtiar.

In a statement, the Committee expressed concern over the current political tensions in the Kurdistan Region, especially with upcoming parliamentary elections, condemning the raid, which it said was "conducted without adherence to ethical or legal principles," resulting in the closure of the Jawder Foundation and the confiscation of its assets.

The Committee decried the action as "a violation of press freedom and cultural expression, which has created insecurity and anxiety among the local population in al-Sulaimaniyah." It called for an immediate halt to such actions and urged that the Foundation be allowed to resume its activities, stressing the need to respect Press Law No. 35 of 2007 in any investigations involving media institutions.

In response, PUK’s political bureau stated that "the Jawder Foundation had been supported financially by the PUK but was not handed over to the party by Mulla Bakhtiar, who allegedly no longer wished to operate under the PUK’s auspices," arguing that the PUK had the right to reclaim the institution, as it was built with party funds and on party-owned land.

The PUK rejected the notion that the raid was an attempt to suppress freedom of expression, characterizing it instead as part of the party’s efforts to reorganize and enhance its institutional effectiveness. The bureau emphasized that al-Sulaimaniyah remains a cultural and free expression hub, a status the PUK has historically supported.