Peregraf - Security forces affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Tuesday closed the offices of NRT television channel in the cities of Erbil and Duhok, according to statements from the channel’s management.
Hersh Qadir, Director of NRT’s Erbil office, said that two security units raided the office without presenting any official court order or legal documentation. He described the move as “a political decision rather than a legal one,” stressing that the closure was carried out without prior notice.
Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw confirmed the closures, saying that the Public Prosecutor had filed a lawsuit against NRT. He added that, based on Resolution No. 7 of 1997 issued by the Kurdistan Parliament, a judge ordered the closure of all NRT offices in the Kurdistan Region.
The closure has sparked renewed debate over media freedom and the legal framework governing press activity in the Kurdistan Region, where journalists and media outlets have repeatedly raised concerns over political pressure and restrictions on independent reporting.