SLEMANI — Coalition Network 19 has called for the immediate release of detainees in Khanaqin, an end to legal proceedings against activists in the disputed city, and respect for citizens’ right to freedom of expression.
In a statement, the network said a peaceful demonstration had been scheduled for Monday evening in Khanaqin to protest what organizers described as Arabization policies in the city, which lies in the disputed territories outside the administration of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Organizers announced Monday morning that the demonstration had been suspended until further notice.
According to information obtained by Coalition Network 19 from multiple sources who requested anonymity, arrest warrants were issued for 13 individuals in connection with the planned demonstration. The network said, however, that additional citizens were also arrested, including a merchant who had changed the writing on his shop sign from Arabic to Kurdish.
The reported arrests have raised concerns among rights activists over restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Khanaqin.
The demonstration organizers had separately called on Iraq’s four presidencies and Kurdish representatives in Baghdad to respond immediately to what they described as legitimate public demands and violations of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, which provides for measures to address the status of disputed territories.
Coalition Network 19, which operates under the supervision of the Metro Center and brings together human rights organizations and activists, urged the authorities to immediately release the detainees and halt legal proceedings against Khanaqin activists.
The network also called on authorities to respect citizens’ freedom of expression, citing protections provided under the Iraqi Constitution and international human rights instruments.
Coalition Network 19 advocates for the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments concerning rights and freedoms, particularly Article 19 of the Universal Declaration, which protects the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and across borders.
The calls come amid renewed tensions over the implementation of Article 140 and the status of Khanaqin, a predominantly Kurdish city in Diyala province that remains among Iraq’s disputed territories.
