A new portrait of the murdered journalist Soran Mama Hama was revealed by a group of civil society activists, journalists, and Kirkuk residents. The relatives of Hama expressed frustration that the perpetrators are still at large and expressed gratitude to those who have kept the case in the public eye.
The event took place in front of Kirkuk Castle on July 20, marking the 16th anniversary of Hama's assassination.
Hama, who served as the head of the Levin magazine office in Kirkuk, was fatally shot in front of his home in the Rashidawa neighborhood of Kirkuk on July 21, 2008.
Despiteongoing efforts by journalists and civil society groups, taking the case to court and establishing an inquiry committee within Kirkuk police, the killers have not been apprehended and the case remains unresolved.
At least 282 journalists have been killed in Iraq since 2003, according to estimates by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, with most killed by anonymous gunmen or armed factions, and others by the Iraqi forces, a report by the Guardian found out last year. The country ranks fifth in the CPJ’s Global Impunity Index, behind only Somalia, Syria, South Sudan and Afghanistan. A further 74 journalists and media assistants have been abducted, with most of them killed.
32 journalists were killed in 2024, the CPJ says.
The CPJ’s 2023 global total – the highest since 2015 and an almost 44% increase on 2022’s figures – includes a record number of journalist killings – 78 – that CPJ research determined were work-related.
Farman Mama Hama, Soran's brother, who attended the unveiling ceremony, told KirkukNow, “After 16 years, there has been no progress in my brother's case, but we are keeping his memory alive by this gathering every year.”
After 16 years, there has been no progress in my brother's case
Hemn Hasib, a lawyer and one of the event organizers, mentioned to KirkukNow that they honor Soran annually by gathering around his portrait and renewing it.
Before his murder, Soran Mama Hama had received threats multiple times due to his critical reports and articles published in both Levin Magazine and Hawlati Newspapers.
The local and international organizations, human rights advocates members of the Iraqi and Kurdistan parliaments MPs continuously express their grave concern that the journalists and the freedom of expression and press are increasingly under threat all over Iraq including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq KRI.
Almost 249 violations were registered against journalists in the IKR last year, according to the Metro Center for the Protection of Journalists' Rights metro.org.
The violations were committed against 247 journalists, including 134 cases of obstruction and discrimination, 38 cases of confiscation of journalistic equipment, 37 cases of detention without a court order, 27 cases of physical attacks, threats and insults.
Controversially, the Iraqi Kurdistan Union of Journalists (KUJ) has reported 62 cases of violations against journalists across 2023.
