Cyberdissident still in prison despite release announcement

Austrian national Kamal Sayid Qadir, jailed for 30 years in early January 2006 for posting "defamatory" articles online, is still behind bars despite an announcement more than a week ago by representatives of the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan government that his release was imminent. Reporters Without Borders called on the Austrian authorities to maintain efforts to obtain a quick release for the cyberdissident. "We must continue to campaign for Kamal Sayid Qadir and his family", the organisation said. The Associated Press news agency reported a statement from Austrian Foreign Minister, Ursula Plassnik, on 26 January 2006 that he had been freed the previous day. This report turned out to be incorrect. -------------------------- 13.01.06 Kamal Sayid Qadir ends his hunger strike Jurist Kamal Sayid Qadir, an Austrian national, began eating again nine days after starting a hunger strike in protest against his conviction, on 19 December 2005, to 30 years in prison. He took the decision after receiving a visit from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). According to the Kurdish authorities, Qadir was convicted on the basis of Article 1 of Law 21, adopted in 2003 by the national assembly of Kurdistan. The law lays down that “Anyone, who intentionally participates in an action intended to harm the security, peace and leadership of the institutions in Kurdish-Iraq, will be punished by a life sentence or temporary prison sentence”. This article replaced a law dating from Saddam Hussein's regime which specified that “Anyone, who intentionally takes part in an action intended to harm the state government, the unity of the state or the security of its territory, will be hanged.” ---------------- 10.01.06 Kurds say 30-year sentence was imposed for defaming public institutions Reporters Without Borders today reiterated its call for the release of Kamal Sayid Qadir after the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq said his 30-year prison sentence was imposed in accordance with a law punishing “defamation of public institutions.” In a statement released yesterday, the Kurdish authorities said the law, identified as Law 21, was passed by the region's national assembly and took effect in 2003. “The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) affirms that the principles of human rights and freedom of expression continue to be respected, promoted, and assured for all persons throughout the Kurdistan Region,” the statement added. Reporters Without Borders said: “We find it hard to believe that Iraq's Kurdish authorities can say this after just sentencing a lawyer to 30 years in prison for defamation. Only extremely repressive countries have recourse to such heavy sentences for so-called crimes of opinion.” The press freedom organisation said Law 21 was contrary to international standards governing freedom of expression and called on the Kurdish authorities to repeal it. --------------------- 06.01.06 30-year prison sentence for criticising Kurdish regional president in Internet articles Family says cyber-dissident has been on hunger strike for more than a week Reporters Without Borders wrote today to the president of the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq, Massoud Barzani, asking him to intervene in the case of an Austrian citizen of Kurdish origin, Kamal Sayid Qadir, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison on 19 December for libelling him in articles posted on the Internet. “This incident bodes ill for freedom of expression in Iraq's Kurdish region,” the press freedom organisation wrote. “We condemn the use of prison sentences to punish press offences and we are especially shocked by the length of this sentence, even if Qadir really did libel you. We therefore hope you will intervene to obtain his release and thereby show you intend to establish a fair judicial system in your region that complies with international standards.” Qadir was arrested on 26 October by members of the Parastin, a security service operated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, one of the region's two ruling parties. He is currently held in a prison in Erbil, one of the region's main cities. A lawyer normally based in Vienna, Qadir, 48, is accused of libelling and insulting Barzani in web articles. He has written dozens of articles for websites such as Kurdishmedia.com and Kurdistanpost.com in which he has been very critical of Barzani's policies. He was reportedly convicted on the basis of Kurdish customary law and not the law approved by the regional parliament. According to his sister, who lives in Germany, he has been on hunger strike for more than a week in protest against his conviction. ------------- Create your blog with Reporters without borders: www.rsfblog.org