PUK Media Board and Metro Center Condemn Cyber Attacks on Sulaymaniyah Media

Kurdistan 04:59 PM - 2025-11-03

Logos of Metro Center and PUK Media Board.

The Media Board of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy have condemned recent cyber attacks targeting media outlets in Sulaymaniyah Province, reportedly originating from Erbil. Both institutions described the attacks as a deliberate attempt to silence free speech and undermine media freedom in the Kurdistan Region.

PUK Media Board: Sulaymaniyah Media Under Attack from Erbil

In a statement, the PUK Media Board said: “Several IT teams in Erbil have been tasked with monitoring and shutting down licensed media outlets. In their latest move against media institutions in Sulaymaniyah, they have issued a series of confidential directives to suspend and close down a number of outlets — and have already acted on some of them.”

The statement continued: “We strongly condemn this conduct, which violates the Law on Journalism and the guidelines for granting media licences. Such actions pose a grave threat to freedom of expression and journalism, and endanger the broader state of media freedom in the Kurdistan Region.”

Concluding its statement, the PUK Media Board affirmed: “We will inform diplomatic missions, the Journalists Syndicate, and Kurdish, Iraqi, and international organisations of this behaviour. If these actions persist, we will pursue all available legal measures, and those responsible will bear full responsibility for any consequences.”

Metro Center: Cyber Attacks Are an Attempt to Suppress Dissent

The Metro Center also issued a statement condemning the cyber attacks, which it said have targeted Sulaymaniyah-based media outlets for several consecutive days.

“These attacks represent an attempt to silence dissenting voices and those holding different political views,” the statement read. “During periods of political tension and election campaigns, some media outlets face cyber assaults and the suspension of their pages by Meta. Such acts contradict the principles of healthy political competition.”

The Metro Center further noted: “Iraq remains among the worst countries in terms of internet freedom. The country has witnessed deliberate internet shutdowns, blocking of social media platforms and messaging applications, censorship of media content, and cyber attacks on the accounts of journalists and activists.”

PUK Leadership Member: These Attacks Threaten Freedom of the Press and Pluralism

Latif Nerwayi, member of the PUK Leadership Council and Head of the PUK Media Board, said: “Since the beginning of the election campaign, several media institutions in Sulaymaniyah — including web TV channels, websites, and social media pages belonging to both private and well-known outlets — have come under digital attack. These actions violate freedom of expression, the press, and media pluralism, under false claims of protecting national security.”

Political Press Media Agency Accuses the KDP

In a related development, the Political Press Media Agency issued a statement on Monday accusing the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of orchestrating cyber attacks against their platforms.

“They have wrongfully claimed ownership of Political Press content, recorded by our own cameras, and have falsely reported these materials in an effort to have our Facebook pages taken down,” the statement said.



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