ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Thursday called on authorities to “swiftly investigate the motive” after journalist and TV host Hemn Mamand was shot in the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani province on Tuesday.
“The targeted shooting of Mamand in the center of Sulaymaniyah appears to be an attempted assassination, and we are investigating whether it was connected with his political reporting,” CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah said on Wednesday.
Mamand hosts a talk show for Sterk TV, which is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The group has been engaged in a four-decade conflict with Turkey, though tensions eased after a peace process began late last year.
In February, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called for the group’s dissolution, followed by a symbolic burning of weapons in Sulaimani province in July. The process has led to a significant decline in conflict in the Kurdistan Region, which previously saw widespread land burning and village displacement, particularly in northern Duhok province.
“Authorities must transparently investigate, hold the perpetrators accountable, and ensure that journalists are safe,” Qudah urged.
On Tuesday, Rahman Gharib, head of the Metro Center for Journalists' Rights and Advocacy, told Rudaw that Mamand was shot twice in an armed attack, injuring him in the arm and waist. He said Mamand was taken to the operating room.
Metro Center director Diyari Mohammed said in a Tuesday press conference that “the place of the incident has a large number of security cameras, security agencies can benefit from them.”
According to CPJ, Mamand was shot while leaving a restaurant. The organization cited Mamand’s co-worker, Barham Latif, as saying that “two men on a motorcycle opened fire on him before fleeing the scene.”
Sulaimani security forces (Asayish) said on Thursday that they have identified four people who were allegedly involved in the shooting, adding that two have been arrested while the other two made it back to Erbil. Asayish noted that the suspects were planning to assassinate the journalist.
Updated at 5:00 pm with statement from Asayish.
