Kurdish journalist accuses Barzanis of plotting his killing

Kurdish journalist Hemin Mamend accuses Barzanis of plotting his killing in Sulaimani — Iraqi Kurdish journalist Hemin Mamend, Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, November 5, 2025. Photo: iKurd.net/Channel8 TV video

Hêmin Mamend says “The Same Group That Killed Sardasht Osman Tried to Kill Me”

SULAIMANI, Iraqi Kurdistan,— Prominent Kurdish journalist, activist, and television presenter Hêmin Mamend, who was shot and wounded in the city of Sulaimani on September 2, 2025, has revealed full details of the assassination attempt against him during a press conference held on Wednesday.

Mamend described the incident as a planned terrorist act, claiming that the same party responsible for the 2010 murder of Kurdish journalist Sardasht Osman was also behind the attempt on his life.

He directly accused the Barzanis and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of orchestrating the attack, saying the party had both the motive and resources to carry it out. He added that this was the same political faction that has barred him and his family from returning to Erbil for the past six years.

Sardasht Osman, a young Kurdish journalist, was abducted and murdered in May 2010 after writing satirical pieces about corruption among Kurdistan’s ruling elite, particularly the Barzani family, who lead the KDP.

Osman’s poem titled “I Am in Love with Barzani’s Daughter” mocked the contrast between the Barzanis’ lavish lifestyle and that of ordinary Kurds, ultimately leading to his death.

Mamend, a presenter at Sterk TV, has long been a vocal critic of the KDP and the Barzani family. Authorities in Erbil issued a warrant for his arrest several years ago following a 2019 investigative report.

Since then, he has lived and worked in Sulaimani, a city controlled by the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which is widely regarded as more tolerant of press freedom. From there, he has continued his journalism through media outlets linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

During the press conference, Mamend provided a detailed account of the day of the attack. He said that on September 2, a well-organized and professionally trained terrorist group, supported financially and logistically by a known political party, attempted to assassinate him in the Aqari neighborhood of Sulaimani.

Kurdish journalist, activist and television presenter Hêmin Mamend was shot and wounded in Sulaimani city in Iraqi Kurdistan, September 2, 2025. Photo: SM

“The first bullet and explosion were aimed directly at my head and chest,” he said. “But I defended myself, and by the grace of God, I survived. The first bullet struck my shoulder. If it had hit my neck or chest, it would have been fatal. Many people call me a living miracle, and I truly believe my survival was an act of divine mercy.”

Following the attack, Mamend underwent two major surgeries, during which doctors placed three platinum plates in his shoulder. However, his hand still does not function properly, and a bullet fragment remains lodged near his ribs. Two other bullets struck his car, causing serious damage.

“If those bullets had hit me instead of my car,” he said, “I would not be standing here today.”

Mamend said the assassination attempt was not a random act, but a premeditated and coordinated operation. “Six months ago,” he revealed, “I was warned by the Sulaimani Security Forces that my life was under threat. They informed me that there were ongoing plots and repeated attempts to target me.”

He went on to directly name those he believes were behind the attack. “That party, the Barzani and KDP faction, sent a group of ten people to carry out my assassination. Among them were four key perpetrators, three members of the Zeravani [KDP] forces, and one individual who was promised a government job in exchange for participating in the attack.”

Video from Kurdish Diplomatic Channel – TY

Mamend condemned what he described as the use of government positions as rewards for acts of terrorism, saying, “Jobs in Kurdistan should go to our youth, not to terrorists. Yet in this case, someone was offered employment for trying to kill a journalist. Why am I being targeted? Simply because I speak the truth, because I expose corruption and defend the public’s right to know. I have no personal conflict with anyone.”

He appealed to journalists, international organizations, the Iraqi government, and diplomatic missions not to let his case be forgotten. “This is not a political dispute or a party issue,” he said. “This is about a journalist being attacked for doing his job and speaking the truth.”

Mamend concluded by confirming that a legal team of three lawyers is now representing him in the case and vowed to pursue justice for both himself and all journalists who have been silenced through violence in Iraqi Kurdistan.