The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurds (RKR) condemns all attempts to limit freedom of expression in Kurdistan Iraq as reported by The US-located Committee to Protect Journalists in its special report entitled ‘The Other Iraq’. -Civil and political human rights should be respected for all citizens, including individuals or opposing political factions within the Kurdish region, says Per Thorsdalen, right, Information Officer at RKR´s office at the HR House in Oslo. (20-MAY-08)
 
Based on RKR´s statement, issued today, this article has been edited and prepared for publication here by HRH F / Niels Jacob Harbitz.

In addition to the endeavours of the regional government to bypass the heritage of the former Saddam regime, The KRG should put a careful focus on repressive tendencies within own Kurdish ranks and traditions. In our view such attention needs to be reinforced continuously in order to lift the Kurdish region from a post-totalitarian society into a modernized, developed nation. Kurdistan Iraq is positively developing towards such a completion, thus we want to stress that the validity of ongoing reforms runs along with the respect for dissenting voices raised by the growing civil society within Kurdistan.

The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurds urges the KRG to investigate such claims stated by the Committee to Protect Journalists. In the same way as Prime Minister Nirchevan Barzani progressively advocates zero-tolerance for violence against Kurdish women, the Kurdistan regional government should publicly condemn violent attacks, acts of intimidation, and other crimes carried out against members of the press. 
 
Mr. Per Thorsdalen
Executer of Information/RKR
 
http://www.cpj.org/other.iraq/index.html#article