After 17 months of detention, the courts have finally tried Berivan Ayoub Hassan. The judge sentenced her to two years in prison, and she will soon be released due to lack of evidence and time spent in jail. The trial began on 28 February, but it was postponed until 6 March after a short start. Another 80 Badinan prisoners have also been arrested because of their struggle for free speech, human rights, and corruption in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Berivan is a mother of five children, and she has not been able to see her family since she was imprisoned on “national security” charges. Berivan was an activist at the 2020 Duhok Governorate demonstrations protesting against corruption. She has been detained since 13 October 2020 and has been held in prison without a court trial until now. Berivan has met with her lawyer only a few times in the past couple of months, having been prevented further meetings.
We pray for Berivan Ayoub Hassan. We pray for all the Badinan Prisoners. We pray they all receive fair trials and are released. We pray for their families who also live with the trauma of having beloved family members arrested and imprisoned and having little or no access to them in prison or in court. We pray for respect for free speech and human rights in Iraqi Kurdistan.
