The Story of Kurdish Journalist Sherwan Sherwani Who Fought for Freedom

Sherwan Amin Sherwani was born in 1983, in Akre, a city located in the Duhok Governorate. He successfully completed his education after retuning back to Iraq from Iran, where his family had migrated. He holds a bachelor's degree in management and economics.

Shwerani embarked on his journal career in 2008, working as reporter for Awena Newspaper, he has also contributed to other independent media publications such as Livin magazine and Hawlaty Newspaper.

He became Editor-in-Chief of the “Washan” magazine in 2009 and published 6 Issues of it. He had faced arrest so many times because of his Carrer in journalism. The first time he got arrested was because Nihad Barzani the brother of Masoud Barzani had made a complaint against him.

Shwerani and a group of his friends published a magazine founded in 2011 and named “Bashur” Sherwani was the owner and Editor-in-Chief and the magazine registered by Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate under trust umber 475,  Bashur magazine was published in both Sorani and Badini dialect in Sulamany and Zakho ,and it was one of its kind, revolutionary for rising political awareness in the KDP’s area. Because of the safety and security situation it was kind of impossible to publish such content that openly criticized and pointed at the KDP’s leader corruption in the region. 

Shwerani and his staff faced many threats, arrests, complaints due to the impact of the magazine in the area, Shwerani was arrested in April,20,2012. Despite the KDP leader’s effort to prevent publishing, the magazine stayed in publishing until 2014. The magazine has been an integral part of the developments and growth of many writers and journalists.

Sherwani and several activists from Badinan established “Fshar” group in 2012 and “Yakhi” group in 2016 they have been actively involved in many civile activities and protests in the area. In the 2013 Sherwani participated with 15 Iraqi journalist in the training course in Jourden and rewarded a certificate.

Sherwani was a member in the “European Kurdistans Green Organization " additionally he visited several human rights organizations in Italy, Belgum, and Sweden. Furthermore, on 8th August,2017 Sherwani and many other politics and writers and journalists announced “NO For Now” campaign.

Sherwani and 70 other activists and journalists were arbitrary arrested on 8th June,2019, due to the involvement in the Duhok’s protests and their support for  Sheladzy’s uprising.

On 8th June 2019 Kurdish disposer held a seminar for Sherwani in the Oslo university focusing on the Obstacles of Freedom Kurdistan, on the flowing day June 11 Sherwani addressed the topic of Freedom of speech and Freedom of journalism in Kurdistan during the seminar held in Swedish parliament. 

On October 7, 2020, Sherwani abducted in his house by Asaysh security forces, initially his family struggles to find whereabout and Sherwani stayed missing, he was arrested in Solitary confinement for nearly 67 days (about 2 months), eventually Red Cross informed them that Sherwani had been taken to Asayish in Erbil. on January 18,2021 Shwerwani’s father tragically passed out desperately longing to lay  eyes on his son one last time before leaving this life forever، yet the Asayish forces cruelly did not let his final wish to come true.

On February 18, 2021, Sherwani and his four friends were sentenced to six years in jail by a KDP injustice court based on fabrication and falsehood, without ability to access the legal consult lawyer.

Sherwani concluded the court by saying " I have faced physical abuse and torture in the Asaysh and they threatened me to abuse and harassment toward my wife” this statement elicits a massive response from the public and international organizations, Many diplomats and ambassadors expressed their condemnation to the KRG and alerted them about the risks against human rights and freedom of speech in the area, in response to the substantial response following Sherwani’s sentencing. Nechirvan Barzani went out and called Sherwani "the Kurdish Mandela."

While Sherwani was in jail, many activities and protests took place in KRI and Europe. Furthermore, Kurdish activists confronted Masrour Barzani for the first time in London, pelted him with eggs.

Sherwani and Badinan Detainees case, overseen by an unfair KDP court, had a massive impact on the party during Iraq’s parliament election in 2021. As a result of that, the party lost %44 of its votes and nearly 20 seats.

Under the pressure of national and human rights organizations and civil activists, KRG reduced the sentence by %60 for Badinan Detainees, but because Sherwani’s statement to media his sentence was increased by %50.

On 20 July 2023, the Criminal Court of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq sentenced the Kurdish human rights defender and journalist Sherwan Sherwani to an additional four year imprisonment for the alleged falsifying and forging of a document submitted to the prison’s administration.