IRAQI journalists and human rights organsations have demanded the immediate release of Haimen Mamand, who was detained after making social media posts critical of the Kurdish Regional Government’s (KRG) response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Union of Journalists of Iraq (Nuji) co-signed a letter with other groups, including the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, calling on the KRG to respect freedom of the press as enshrined in the country’s constitution.

Mr Mamand was first arrested last month after a Facebook post criticising the KRG for delaying payment of public workers’ salaries and other measures taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.