Fugitive Suspects Linked to KDP’s Zeravani Forces in Hemin Mamand Shooting, Lawyer Confirms

Peregraf- The lawyer representing journalist Hemin Mamand said on Tuesday that seven suspects have been identified in connection with the September shooting targeting the journalist in Sulaimaniyah, three of whom are members of the The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)’s Zeravani forces.

Speaking at a press conference, lawyer Rezan Sheikh Dler stated that three suspects were previously arrested but later released, while warrants have been issued for four others. He added that two of the primary suspects fled Sulaimaniyah via Kalar within six hours of the attack.

A formal letter has been sent from Sulaimaniyah authorities to the KRG Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Peshmerga, and Kurdistan Region General Security in Erbil requesting the arrest and transfer of the fugitives to court.

Sheikh Dler noted that the case is currently being prosecuted under "conspiracy to murder," but the legal team has requested the charge be changed to the Kurdistan Region’s anti-terrorism law.

At the same press conference, Hemin Mamand accused the KDP of involvement, asserting that the incident was "journalistic and related to freedom of opinion," and urged the authorities not to allow the case to be buried.

The attack
At 7:20 p.m. on September 2, 2025, Mamand was shot in the Aqari neighborhood of Sulaimaniyah and taken to Shar Hospital.
Two bullets struck his arm and waist, and doctors said the injuries were not life-threatening. His condition later stabilized.

Mamand, a presenter for Sterk TV, was attacked shortly after leaving a restaurant. According to his colleague Barham Latif, two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire before escaping. "The gunmen fired five shots," he told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Authorities call it an assassination attempt
A day after the attack, the Sulaimaniyah Asayish announced that the shooting was part of a planned assassination attempt, saying that some members of the team behind the plot had been arrested, while two suspects fled to Erbil.

"Asayish will provide further details of the plot and the perpetrators soon," the statement said.

The attack prompted widespread backlash.

CPJ called on Kurdish authorities to identify those behind what it described as a targeted assassination attempt.

"Authorities must transparently investigate, hold the perpetrators accountable, and ensure journalists are safe," said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s Middle East Regional Director.

The Independent Commission for Human Rights in the Kurdistan Region condemned the shooting as "an attempt to restrict the voice of freedom and journalism," and sent a team to visit Mamand at the hospital.

The Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights also confirmed the attack, saying Mamand remains in stable condition.

Sterk TV, where Mamand works, is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been banned in Iraq since 2024 and is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. The station’s political ties heightened sensitivities amid ongoing Turkish military operations in the Kurdistan Region.

The incident has fueled concerns over worsening press-freedom conditions in the Kurdistan Region, where journalists have reported escalating intimidation, arrests, and physical attacks.