Gorran Movement: the court of cassation’s decision against Badinan arrested activists is a dangerous precedent
06/05/2021
Formal Announcement
Gorran Movement announced that the
law can’t be a tool to suppress political and civil freedoms.
“The decision to approve six years
sentence against five activists of Badinan by the court of cassation, is a
dangerous precedent,” said Dler Abdwlxalq, the spokesperson of Gorran Movement
in a statement.
He also stressed on: the freedom of
opinion and journalism is a main pillar of democracy that can’t be suppressed.
The detail of the statement:
The decision by the
Court of Cassation against the five detainees of Badinan and sentencing them
for six years is a dangerous precedent.
The formal policy
of Gorran Movement, through its bloc in Kurdistan Parliament-Iraq and its Legal
Department, was always crystal clear.
The goals should
remain the protection of the reputation and standing of Kurdistan Region and
the trust of citizens in the courts. The law cannot become the instrument of
repressing political and civil rights.
The policy of
Gorran Movement remains consistent:
First: Freedom of
expression and press is a pillar of democracy and inalienable right.
Second: The evident
presented in the case were weak and not proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Third: One of the
main works of diplomats is meeting journalists and civil society activists. The
reference to them in this case shows lack of evidence and it is a dangerous
precedent for the standing of the Kurdistan Region-Iraq.
Fourth: This case
can result in diplomatic isolation of all Kurdistan Region Representations in
the United States, Germany and other states.
We formally
reiterate the importance of request by The General Coordinator of the Party in
his meeting with H.E. President of Kurdistan Region-Iraq to invoke his legal
powers to strengthen respect for freedom of expression and ensure justice
prevails in the case of the journalists and activists of Badinan to prevent
further damage [to Kurdistan Region-Iraq].
Dler Abdulxaliq
Spokesperson Gorran
Movement
May 6, 2021