Journalist Guhdar Zebari sentenced to six months in prison — Community Peacemaker Teams

Journalist Guhdar Zebari was sentenced to six more months prison time during a trial in Erbil on Sunday. Zebari was convicted under Law no. 2, Article 15, 2022 from the KRG government, which relates to forbidden weapons. CPT observed the trial and is concerned about the verdict and the handling of evidence in the pre-trial investigation.

“In response to your baseless accusations, I say with pride and dignity that I am not a weapon holder. The only weapon in my hand is a pen.”

In his defence statement, the journalist Guhdar Zebari, with a slim body from a hunger strike but two eyes full of confidence and resistance, told the judge:

“I am a journalist. Throughout my whole journalism journey, I fought against weapons and violence, and now you want to accuse me of holding weapons?! This is the third time that my mom, with the hope of taking me back home with hands of worship, is coming to the gate of your courthouse and waiting for me. But you want to keep me in prison. Your accusations are baseless because all the people from Badinan region and Akre are witnesses for me that I am a peaceful civilian. What you are doing to me is oppression, and the Excellency Judge, you should know that the rope of oppression would rupture when it’s very thick.”