Iraqi Kurdistan closes NRT after authorities in the autonomous region ordered the shutdown of offices belonging to the opposition-linked broadcaster, citing a decision by the public prosecutor. The move has prompted criticism from opposition figures and press freedom organisations.
The closure began on Wednesday in Erbil, according to local officials, and is expected to extend to other offices of the channel across the Kurdistan Region. Authorities insist the decision is legal and unrelated to political considerations.
Authorities cite court order and legal complaints
Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw said the public prosecutor ordered the closure of all offices of Nalia Radio and Television, commonly known as NRT, following complaints accusing the channel of insulting national symbols.
Khoshnaw stated that the Erbil office was shut by police acting on a court order and stressed that the action was not politically motivated. He did not provide details on the nature of the complaints or identify who filed them.
NRT, for its part, said it had not received prior official notification of the closure, a claim rejected by the governor.
Opposition and media groups condemn the move
NRT is owned by Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement, which is the main opposition force to the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. Abdulwahid, a businessman turned politician, has been arrested several times since founding his party in 2017.
He was released in January after serving several months in prison in a defamation case. Other legal disputes involving him remain ongoing.
Accusations against ruling party
Srwa Abdulwahid, head of the New Generation parliamentary bloc and the party leader’s sister, accused the Kurdistan Democratic Party of orchestrating the closure. She said a security force affiliated with the KDP confiscated equipment and forcibly shut down the Erbil office.
She accused the ruling party of repressing independent media and recognising only outlets loyal to the authorities.
Press freedom concerns
The Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy criticised the closure, saying proper procedures were not followed. Its director, Diyar Mohamed, told AFP that authorities were failing to deal appropriately with journalists and were intimidated by independent reporting.
Activists have long accused the Kurdistan Region, which often portrays itself as a stable and open area within Iraq, of restricting press freedom, including through arrests of journalists and limits on protest coverage.
Political backdrop in the Kurdistan Region
The closure comes amid stalled negotiations to form the Kurdistan Regional Government’s tenth cabinet following parliamentary elections held in October 2024. No party secured a majority, and talks between the KDP, PUK, and opposition groups have remained deadlocked for months.
In mid-January, PUK leader Bafel Talabani accepted a proposal by Abdulwahid to explore forming an alliance that would exclude the KDP, further heightening political tensions in the region.
Conclusion:
While authorities maintain that the shutdown of NRT is a legal matter, opposition figures and press freedom organisations view the decision as part of a broader pattern of pressure on critical media in Iraqi Kurdistan.
