Peregraf- Imprisoned journalist Sherwan Sherwani has vowed not to compromise his principles despite a new ruling by the Court of Appeals that upheld his prison sentence. In a message sent from prison following today’s court decision, Sherwani said:
“Everyone knows this sentence is the price of my stance and resilience inside the prison. Not three years, but even if they sentence me to thirty more years, I will not compromise with the tyrant. I see this as a historical, moral, and religious responsibility. I am ready to die under torture, but I will not compromise with the executioner.”
The Erbil Court of Appeals today confirmed Sherwani’s conviction, slightly reducing his sentence by one year after his lawyer requested a full annulment. On August 20, 2025, the Erbil Criminal Court sentenced him to four years and five months in prison — the journalist’s third conviction in four years — despite what observers described as “insufficient evidence and contradictory testimonies.”
Sherwani, known for his investigations into corruption and human rights abuses, was previously sentenced to six years in 2021 and two years in 2023 on charges widely criticized as politically motivated.
On September 24, 2025, 18 press freedom and human rights organizations, including Peregraf Media Foundation, issued a joint statement demanding Sherwani’s “immediate and unconditional release.” The groups described his repeated convictions as part of “systematic judicial harassment” against independent journalists in the Kurdistan Region.
The statement declared:
“The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq must immediately release journalist Sherwan Sherwani and end judicial harassment.”
It also condemned the misuse of the judicial system to silence journalists, warning that such actions undermine the Kurdistan Region’s legal obligations and democratic reputation.
The organizations urged the KRG to:
• Release Sherwani unconditionally and withdraw challenges to his appeal.
• End the misuse of laws to target journalists.
• Ensure fair and transparent judicial proceedings.
• Take concrete steps to safeguard press freedom.
The statement emphasized that Sherwani’s imprisonment damages the Kurdistan Region’s international image as a government committed to democracy and human rights.
The signatories included:
1. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
2. Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
3. Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
4. International Press Institute (IPI)
5. MENA Rights Group
6. Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights & Advocacy
7. Jasana Organization for Freedom of Expression
8. International Rights Institute (IRI)
9. Reporters for Rights and Development
10. Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq (PFAA)
11. Iraqi Association for Defending Journalists’ Rights
12. ActiveWatch
13. HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement
14. Peregraf Media Foundation
15. Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
16. INSM Foundation for Digital Rights
17. Cartoonists Rights Network International
18. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)
Sherwani remains imprisoned despite repeated calls from international and local organizations demanding his release and the end of what they describe as politically motivated prosecutions targeting independent journalists in the Kurdistan Region.