MESOP SHORT CUTS SOUTH KURDISTAN – Kurdish journalists launch media campaign to release Said Akram

10  Mar 2014 – KURDISTAN TRIBUNE –  A group of human rights activists and journalists called the February 17 group are urging Kurdish communities in Europe to support a media campaign in protest at the Duhok Court’s decision in unjustly detain Said Akram for more than three years. Said Akram, a former commander of the security forces at the Ibrahim Khalil Port of Entry in Kurdistan, was jailed for criticizing corruption and lack of transparency surrounding the port of entry’s revenue.

After resigned from his position Mr. Akram said that the port’s revenue was controlled by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) rather than by the Ministry of Finance. He was then arrested and charged by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) which claimed that Mr. Akram’s allegations had ‘endangered National Security’. In an attempt to put international pressure on the KRG, the February 17 Group will launch a European media campaign in Brussels on 11th March, 2014. (KT)