ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Ministry of Culture of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued a sweeping directive to all media outlets, prohibiting the publication of videos and images related to crimes and defendants, as well as live coverage from crime scenes.

The official communique, distributed to all visual and audio media organizations, outlines significant legal and societal concerns as the basis for the new restrictions.

According to the ministry, broadcasting details of crimes—including the identity of the accused, and the location and timing of incidents—can "greatly impact the course of investigations" from a legal standpoint.

Furthermore, the directive emphasizes the negative social and psychological effects of such coverage on the public. It warns that graphic or sensationalized reporting "creates familial, regional, and national problems," arguing that certain actors exploit these topics for "political use, incitement, discord, and chaos."

In response to these concerns, the ministry has laid out clear new rules for media outlets. The directive explicitly "requests all visual and audio media outlets and their platforms not to publish any images or videos of any criminal or conflict incidents in any way."

Additionally, the order imposes a blanket ban on "live coverage of the event location."