Bashdar Osman, brother of Kurdish journalist Sardasht Osman, stated that 16 years after his brother’s assassination, they are insistent that the planners and perpetrators of the crime must be brought to justice, stressing, “We will not give up our rights for a single moment.”

Sardasht Osman was a 23-year-old journalist and university student who was abducted and killed in 2010 after writing articles criticizing the political leadership.

Sardasht Osman Killed by ‘Organized and Well-planned’ security force

Speaking to Channel8, Bashdar said that in May, his brother was kidnapped by “an organized and well-planned” security force before being taken to Mosul, where he was assassinated.

Regarding the details of the case, Bashdar noted that Sardasht had previously alerted security forces about death threats he received in response to his writings. Despite these warnings, Bashdar mentioned that the authorities failed to take action to protect him.

Bashdar Demands Justice After 16 Years

"After 16 years of assassination, we reiterate the same demand,” he stressed, highlighting that the case is still open for them and will remain so for the people of Kurdistan.

“We demand that the perpetrators of this heinous assassination be exposed and brought to justice,” he added.

“Unfortunately, there was plenty of evidence and information available, and the security agencies could have easily identified the killer, but they did not; instead, they went on to fabricate a bogus killer," Bashdar added.

He underlined that those responsible for the Sardasht incident, including the planners, perpetrators, and those who falsely accused him, must be exposed and brought to justice.

Bashdar said that to this day, Sardasht’s message is still highly regarded all over Kurdistan, as well as by international parties.

PT-IK Calls for Release of Imprisoned Journalists

On the anniversary of the assassination, Community Peacemaker Teams—Iraqi Kurdistan (CPT-IK) in a statement on Tuesday called for “the release of imprisoned journalists and an improvement in freedom of expression."

CPT-IK emphasized its commitment to the Sardasht case and reaffirmed its determination to pursue justice for the violations committed against colleagues and fellow journalists of Sardasht in the provinces of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Halabja.

Metro Center Highlights Sardasht’s Legacy

In the meantime, Metro Center, a non-profit watchdog based in the Kurdistan Region, issued a statement today noting that “Sardasht has left behind not only a memory but also a way of life to rebel against injustice, refuse to surrender, and be honest in confrontation even if it costs his life.”

The statement affirmed that journalists work in an environment “where the rule of law is not the rule of law, the law of force has replaced the force of law; in such an environment every step of journalists is a threat to their lives.”