Harem Rafat A defense lawyer for five imprisoned activists from Duhok governorate. Oct 6, 2021. (NRT Digital Media)
AM:10:14:06/10/2021
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SULAIMANI — A defense lawyer for five imprisoned activists
from Duhok governorate said that his clients’ trial was postponed again on
Wednesday (October 6).
Harem Rafat said that the court in Erbil postponed the
hearing in order to further scrutinize the case.
He added that "the court needs to give a statement on this
unusual situation.”
On Monday, the trial of four other activists from Duhok was
postponed because two of the judges were transferred off of the case.
The nine defendants from the two groups have been in
pre-trial detention for more than a year and are charged with serious national
security charges, which they strongly deny.
Observers have called the prosecution against the activists
politically motivated and raised numerous objections about their treatment
while in custody, including that they have not been given proper access to
their lawyers.
(NRT Digital Media)