Sacked professor slams free speech in Iraq Kurdistan

[Aslan]

The professor says he was sacked without written notice or explanation. He was under contract and has not been paid for three months’ work. The university’s president declined to comment, but previously said the dismissal is not politically motivated. The government says it’s a paperwork issue.

But Professor Maroof says none of his philosophy colleagues had their qualifications certified. He says he gave his qualifications to the authorities last year and the certification process was almost completed before his dismissal. If he wants his job back he must announce that his dismissal is not politically motivated.

The professor studied in the UK and returned to Kurdistan, hoping to develop his home town. But now he says he has now paid the price for his democratic right to free speech.

Professor Maroof’s dismissal comes as Human Rights Watch has released this statement, condemning the state of free speech in Kurdistan. The semi-autonomous Kurdish government replied, saying it is committed to freedom of expression and believes Kurdistan’s young democracy is developing stronger credentials day by day.

Professor Maroof’s dismissal comes as Human Rights Watch has released a statement, condemning the state of free speech in Kurdistan. However Kurdistan Regional Government said, it is committed to the freedom of expression and believes Kurdistan’s young democracy is developing stronger credentials day by day.

finally people are making it obvious that there is no freedom of speech in sk this will surely help sk improve more on its democracy - i approve of this message lol

[talsor]

If his certification is not complete he should not be teaching period .
People get arrested for crimes they turn around and claim it is politically motivated
People get dismissed from their job for lack of certification ,they turn around and claim it is politically motivated

The Parliament or the president does not control what the universities do or do not and If Mr. Maroof has a problem he should file a complain or commence a law suit against the university .

[Aslan]

If his certification is not complete he should not be teaching period .
People get arrested for crimes they turn around and claim it is politically motivated
People get dismissed from their job for lack of certification ,they turn around and claim it is politically motivated

The Parliament or the president does not control what the universities do or do not and If Mr. Maroof has a problem he should file a complain or commence a law suit against the university .

aeeeeee but still he is putting it out there that there isnt freedom of speech (which there isnt) so they will have to deal with that problem and make it so that there is freedom of speech

[talsor]

If his certification is not complete he should not be teaching period .
People get arrested for crimes they turn around and claim it is politically motivated
People get dismissed from their job for lack of certification ,they turn around and claim it is politically motivated

The Parliament or the president does not control what the universities do or do not and If Mr. Maroof has a problem he should file a complain or commence a law suit against the university .

aeeeeee but still he is putting it out there that there isnt freedom of speech (which there isnt) so they will have to deal with that problem and make it so that there is freedom of speech

The fact that he is putting it out there and getting media coverage is a clear indication that there freedom of speech wouldn't you agree ? .Secondly KRG does not have to deal with individual issues like this unless he can PROVE that there was direct interference by the government in his dismissal which is not the case here .
Universities like many other institutions have all the rights to dismiss anyone who is not fit for job due lack of credentials or even for his unacceptable views even in the west .Look , you can not put everything under freedom of speech and expect people or the institutions to accept it . If that would be the case then everything from paedophilia , pornography , insulting other people's religion , culture , should be acceptable right ?

[Aslan]

If his certification is not complete he should not be teaching period .
People get arrested for crimes they turn around and claim it is politically motivated
People get dismissed from their job for lack of certification ,they turn around and claim it is politically motivated

The Parliament or the president does not control what the universities do or do not and If Mr. Maroof has a problem he should file a complain or commence a law suit against the university .

aeeeeee but still he is putting it out there that there isnt freedom of speech (which there isnt) so they will have to deal with that problem and make it so that there is freedom of speech

The fact that he is putting it out there and getting media coverage is a clear indication that there freedom of speech wouldn't you agree ? .Secondly KRG does not have to deal with individual issues like this unless he can PROVE that there was direct interference by the government in his dismissal which is not the case here .
Universities like many other institutions have all the rights to dismiss anyone who is not fit for job due lack of credentials or even for his unacceptable views even in the west .Look , you can not put everything under freedom of speech and expect people or the institutions to accept it . If that would be the case then everything from paedophilia , pornography , insulting other people's religion , culture , should be acceptable right ?

there is no freedom of speech lol wasnt it on the news somewhere where the tv or radio station of goran or someone was burnt or destroyed cuz some dude made talked "bad" about barzani family? for moi there is no freedom of speech in sk and everything should be accepted making fun of religion or presidents or leaders should be allowed thats freedom of speech lol and maybe the guy isnt lying how do u know ? y only was he sacked cuz of credentials and not the others as he claimed ? even tho he said he did it a yr ago .... something fishy is up

[Aslan]

Also Monsieur talsor a while ago I think don't remember exact date lol the news was showing the so parliament and how some dude was calling the government out and the people in charge and the guy who sits like at the front on the high chair (dono wat his position is, anywhomeeeeee) ya he didn't let the guy talk and kicked him out so as u see not really free are we to talk in so now (trying to talk like Star Wars people the green lol guy ^^^^^) anyways lol still that's me beliefs about sk even tho it's changing somewhat for the good expat the people who r all money hungry I've been and seen man O.o lol xD not a place (sk) I would ever live c:

[Shirko]

Screw freedom of speech, if you want freedom of speech, then stay in Canada. This guys dismissal has nothing to do with freedom of speech anyway, he probably bought some phony degree online anyway. Kurdistan is not the West, so if you want freedom if speech, were you can insult politicians and religions, than stay in Canada or go the the Netherlands or something were homosexuals can also get married.

[Cewlik]

and everything should be accepted making fun of religion or presidents or leaders should be allowed thats freedom

It is only your freedom, you just copy the western tradition which insults their own culture, religion leaders etc. every day. Even in the west there is a limit, you dont can tell lies about a person, that is Character assassination and can be punished.

[Anthea]

Even in the west there is a limit, you dont can tell lies about a person, that is Character assassination and can be punished.

TRUE in England we have strong laws against character assassination and lies. the are laws against Slander which is a spoken lie, and libel which is a written lie.

We do NOT have freedom of speech

We have Political Correctness

If there is ever any information which is really Important or Informative then we, the general public will NEVER know about it

[Aslan]

Screw freedom of speech, if you want freedom of speech, then stay in Canada. This guys dismissal has nothing to do with freedom of speech anyway, he probably bought some phony degree online anyway. Kurdistan is not the West, so if you want freedom if speech, were you can insult politicians and religions, than stay in Canada or go the the Netherlands or something were homosexuals can also get married.

Lmao wtf k there dictatorship!!!!! Then be my guest go make fun of a politician in sk and watch ur self in jail and u say that sk isn't the west then they need to stop saying they r democratic nuff said!

[Shirko]

Democracy doesn't mean you can insult politicians. And nobody ever offered any democracy to Kurds. SK exists because Kurds fought and survived to achieve. So why do you think that it has to be more liberal than the West before its OK for you to visit it?

[Aslan]

Democracy doesn't mean you can insult ploiticans. And nobody ever offered any democracy to Kurds. SK exists because Kurds fought and survived to achieve.

democracy means freedom of speech also and if a politician r not doing their job right like some in sk then people have the right to criticize them, and great no one offered democracy to kurds, it doesnt means kurdish leaders cant offer full democracy to kurdish citizens or who ever lives in sk

[Cewlik]

democracy means freedom of speech

And that exist in south Kurdistan. Some Media criticize every day the government.

But freedom of speach dont allows everything like insults.

u say that sk isn't the west then they need to stop saying they r democratic nuff said!

You brain must be small, south Kurdistan is not the west but it is a democracy. You dont must be a western state to be a democracy.

And dont compare Kurdistan with the west, Kurds live under occupation and under threat, Kurds are not free like europeans, americans or other people. And Kurds have their own culture and religion.

[talsor]

there is no freedom of speech lol wasnt it on the news somewhere where the tv or radio station of goran or someone was burnt or destroyed cuz some dude made talked "bad" about barzani family? for moi there is no freedom of speech in sk and everything should be accepted making fun of religion or presidents or leaders should be allowed thats freedom of speech lol and maybe the guy isnt lying how do u know ? y only was he sacked cuz of credentials and not the others as he claimed ? even tho he said he did it a yr ago .... something fishy is up

As kurds we are people of culture and traditions and religions which are valued by our people . Copying and pasting western values of individualism and the so called freedom will never work in nor do people want it . You seem to defending something you yourself do not understand , but then again bad mouthing others and making accusation is too easy . Your like western values so much Mr.Aslan ? Try applying it to your own family and see how happy you are going to be and I will not get into the details here because you will certainly get offended .

There is nothing unique about the incidents you mentioned and it happens all over the world and in every country , so why the emphasis here ? . There is nothing in the constitution that prevent people from free speech and if someone faces any sort of discrimination they have all the right to take the matter to court . Anything thing else is just bitching and nagging .

[Aslan]

democracy means freedom of speech

And that exist in south Kurdistan. Some Media criticize every day the government.

But freedom of speach dont allows everything like insults.

u say that sk isn't the west then they need to stop saying they r democratic nuff said!

You brain must be small, south Kurdistan is not the west but it is a democracy. You dont must be a western state to be a democracy.

And dont compare Kurdistan with the west, Kurds live under occupation and under threat, Kurds are not free like europeans, americans or other people.

it doesnt exist -.- once i called the people in power thief's to my uncles and they told me not to say that in public cuz i have a big mouth and no filter! y would they say that if there is free speech and u have a petite brain hoe!!!! there is no FULL democracy in sk k thats what I MYSELF and ME think !!! period! u can think wat ever u want