Groups with alleged PKK links banned in Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan

Groups, media with alleged PKK links banned in Sulaimani — PUK-affiliated Kurdish security forces Asayish during a demonstration in Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, June 2, 2020. Photo: AFP

Iraqi Kurdish Sulaimani city bans groups accused of PKK links

SULAIMANI,— Authorities in Sulaimani, a city in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, have banned four organizations accused of links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey. Activists, however, are condemning the decision, calling it politically motivated.

The organizations banned include two feminist groups and a media production house, according to the METRO Center for Press Freedoms. METRO held a news conference in Sulaimani Thursday, denouncing the move and describing it as a response to external pressures rather than a judicial action.

The PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey, has long maintained a presence in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Ankara has long accused the PKK of using Iraq as a base for operations against Turkish targets.

Colonel Salam Abdel Khaleq, spokesman for the Kurdish Asayish security forces in Sulaimani, which are associated with Talabani’s PUK party, said the bans were enforced following a decision from the Iraqi judiciary and the expiration of the licenses for the affected organizations.

But METRO’s director, Diyar Mohamed, strongly rejected this justification, calling the decision “unjustifiable” and “political.” He said the organizations had not engaged in any partisan activity. “We condemn this decision in the strongest terms,” Mohamed told AFP.

The move comes amid increasing pressure on Iraq’s Kurdish authorities. Earlier this year, Iraq’s federal government in Baghdad, responding to concerns from Ankara, declared the PKK a banned organization.

In August 2024, Iraq and Turkey signed a military cooperation agreement, strengthening efforts to combat the PKK.

The Gezengi Barbayan production house, one of the banned organizations, was shocked when security forces arrived at its office on Tuesday and ordered it to cease operations. Tawar Adel, head of the production house, explained that the company had been licensed by the Kurdish Ministry of Commerce since 2017 and had renewed its license as recently as May 2024.

Iraq’s Kurdish region is divided politically between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Massoud Barzani, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by the Talabani family. This division contributes to the region’s complex and fragmented governance, with the Barzanis controlling Erbil and Duhok, while the Talabanis hold Sulaimani.

The PKK, founded in 1978, began its armed struggle in 1984, seeking greater autonomy for Kurds in Turkey. The conflict has caused the deaths of over 40,000 people, including soldiers and Kurdish guerrillas.

The PKK has long maintained that it targets military and security personnel, while avoiding civilian casualties, a stance that has led some international organizations to call for a reconsideration of its designation as a terrorist group.

The Kurdish community both within Turkey and abroad continues to show significant support for the PKK’s cause.

Slemani Media Outlet Zhyan TV Closes Without Notice, Sparking Concerns

Shirin Tahir, a writer and women’s rights advocate, Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, January 2025. Photo: Rojnews

The sudden closure of Zhyan TV, a Slemani-based media outlet, has drawn criticism from activists and writers, marking the apparent end of its parent company, Gazangi Barbayan Company. No formal announcement was made about the decision, leaving many questioning the reasons behind it.

Shirin Tahir, a writer and women’s rights advocate, told Rojnews the shutdown is a troubling development for a region often regarded as a hub of freedom and enlightenment. “It’s disheartening to see a channel shut down amid ongoing political shifts in the Kurdistan Region,” she said. Tahir added that external pressures from neighboring countries targeting media outlets covering sensitive issues could be a contributing factor.

Officials reportedly claimed the closure was linked to a license renewal issue. However, Tahir said the lack of prior notice raises serious concerns, particularly among women activists and organizations.

Women’s rights activist Dlsouz Zangana also criticized the decision, saying it undermines democratic principles. “While we speak of democracy and peace, a media outlet amplifying women’s voices is silenced without any legal justification,” Zangana told Rojnews. “This action erodes women’s rights and tarnishes Slemani’s reputation.”

Zangana called on authorities to reconsider the closure and allow Zhyan TV to resume operations, warning that the move represents an attack on fundamental freedoms.

(With files from AFP | Rojnews | Agencies)