Committee to Protect Journalists Condemns Arrest of Hawlati Journalist

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has published a statement on its website condemning the arrest of Hawlati journalist Hawez Hawezi. Hawezi was arrested (on defamation charges) by Sulaimaniyah security forces because of an opinion he had published in the paper (criticising local authorities.) He was detained for three days then released on bail. The statement said, "Rather than pursue a journalist for doing his job the Kurdish authorities would do well to investigate those who assaulted our colleague Hawez Hawezi. Such arbitrary and heavy-handed treatment of the press by Kurdish authorities shows that their reputation for tolerance of free media is undeserved.”