CPJ, partners urge Iraqi Kurdistan to free journalist Sherwan Sherwani

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), along with 17 press freedom, human rights organizations and media outlets, is urging the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Sherwan Sherwani, who remains unjustly imprisoned for his independent reporting and has been subjected to systematic judicial harassment.

On August 20, 2025, the Erbil Criminal Court sentenced Sherwani to an additional four years and five months in prison, his third politically motivated conviction since 2021. His trials have been marred by due process violations, contradictory testimony, and an atmosphere of intimidation, with observers noting serious procedural irregularities.

“The misuse of the judicial system to punish journalists like Sherwani is a grave violation of international human rights standards and undermines the Kurdistan Region’s own legal obligations and commitments to justice,” the statement reads, calling for concrete steps to protect press freedom and the independence of journalists.

Read the full statement here in English, Kurdish (کوردی) and Arabic (العربية).

Editorial note: The first paragraph has been updated with the correct number of signatories