News Center- The security forces (Asayish) raided the buildings of the Gizingî Berbeyan, a media production company, the Kurdistan Free Women's Movement (RJAK) and Nwêger Culture and Art Center in Sulaymaniyah on Tuesday night and closed down the media production company without any official notification.

The Gizingî Berbeyan Media Production Company held a press conference at the Center for Journalists' Rights and Advocacy in Sulaymaniyah on Thursday with the participation of journalists, activists and academics.

“Although the company was closed down three days ago, the reason for the closure has not been known yet,” journalist Tewar Adil said at the press conference. “It is a violation of the journalism law No. 35 of the year 2007. During the raid, we were told that we should only apply to the Kurdistan Region Security Council within a week. We demand our company be reopened. Our company was officially opened on December 26, 2017.”

‘Stop crackdown on the free press’

Recalling that the company also produces programs for Jin TV, an all-women channel, Tewar Adil said, “Our company has made the voices of women in Southern Kurdistan heard for seven years, in accordance with the law. The closure of our company is a crackdown on the free media. We call on the authorities to stop the crackdown on the free press. We also call on everyone caring about women's voices being heard in the Kurdistan Region to be in solidarity with us and defend the free press. The closure decision cannot intimidate or silence us.”