masoud barzani

Extremely disheartened to see the threats and accusations against critical journalists in the KRG, including my friends Kamal Chomani and Sarkawt Shams. Press freedom is essential to democratic societies, and when governments deserve criticism, dissent and debate are patriotic- even in contentious political times. In fact, contentious political times require dissent and debate, as societies exchange ideas and lay out a new forward course. Democracy only works if every level of society is free and democratic- including the media and the public sphere of ideas. At this historic political moment in Bashûr, we should all stand with these principled journalists and support international press freedom and the democratic right to dissent.