Journalist Hemn Mamand Shot, Stable in Hospital; Rights Body Calls Attack a Blow to Press Freedom

Peregraf 

The Independent Commission for Human Rights in the Kurdistan Region has condemned the shooting of journalist and activist Hemn Mamand, calling the attack an attempt to restrict freedom of the press.

Mamand, a presenter at Sterk TV, was shot twice on Tuesday evening by an unidentified gunman on a motorcycle, Metro Center director Diyari Mohammed told Peregraf. He confirmed that Mamand was taken to Shar hospital in Sulaymaniyah, where he remains in stable condition under medical supervision. 

In a press release, the Human Rights Commission expressed “deep concern for the inhuman acts committed against him,” and said, “We believe it is an attempt to restrict the voice of freedom and journalism in Sulaymaniyah.” The commission urged security agencies and the Sulaymaniyah administration to swiftly identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible. A team from the Commission’s local office visited Mamand in the hospital following the incident.

The Kurdistan Region Security Agency (Asayish) also released a statement confirming that the shooting occurred at approximately 7:20 p.m. on September 2. It announced that an immediate investigation had been launched and that efforts are underway to track down the perpetrator.

Mamand’s shooting is the latest in a series of alarming attacks on journalists in the Kurdistan Region, where media workers have repeatedly faced intimidation, arbitrary detention, and physical violence. Watchdog groups, including Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and the Independent Commission for Human Rights, have consistently warned that such incidents undermine press freedom and public trust in state institutions.