The situation of Rojnews' Arabic editor Suleyman Ahmet, who is detained by units affiliated with the KDP at the Pêşxabûr (Sêmalka) Border Gate while returning to the Federated Kurdistan Region from the city of Aleppo, where he went to visit his family, has been unknown for 196 days.

 

Upon receiving information that Ahmet was taken to the city of Duhok, his lawyers applied to the Duhok Public Order Office. Even though it is unofficially accepted that Ahmet is in their hands, he is not allowed to meet with his lawyers. Duhok Public Order, which had to make a statement 6 days later after the reactions, claimed that Ahmet was not in their hands, even though they accused him of "carrying out intelligence activities".

 

Thereupon, the Duhok Judgeship, to which the application was made, decided that his lawyers could meet with Ahmet. With this decision, it was officially accepted that Ahmet was held in custody. The lawyers, who went to the Duhok Public Order Office with the decision in hand, were not only not allowed to meet with Ahmet, but also faced attacks and threats that amounted to physical violence. Continuing their investigation despite the attacks and threats, the lawyers learned that Ahmet is being held in one of the unofficial detention centers of Parastin, the intelligence agency of the KDP.

 

Lawyers who are members of the Suleyman Ahmet Defense Group have officially made more than 10 applications. However, they were not allowed to meet with their clients and no information about their situation was shared with them.

 

APPLICATION MADE TO THE UN

 

Rojnews officials and editors also appealed to the United Nations (UN) demanding that the public be informed as soon as possible regarding the situation of Ahmet.

 

APPLICATION WITH URGENT DEMAND FROM CPJ

 

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Mina Committee to Protect Human Rights made an urgent demand to the United Nations (UN) Committee on Enforced Disappearances to determine Ahmet's situation on April 12.