Failings of Kurdish media exposed

If as many suspect Sardasht Osman was killed because of what he wrote, this should really serve as a reminder for us all of the dire state of our media and the urgent need to reform it. The reaction to his shocking death in both pro-government and opposition media has been depressing and sadly predictable. Osman, a student journalist who had criticized the Iraqi Kurdish authorities, was abducted in the regional capital, Erbil, on May 4. His body was found a day later in the nearby city of Mosul. Politicizing this killing, and trying to put the blame before the real facts are known will not serve anyone. It complicates things more, because in a sense, the government, the opposition and the media must all share some responsibility for the unhealthy environment for public discourse in which a murder such as this could take place. If no real and practical steps are taken to address the shortcomings of the government, the opposition and the media, then it is likely that a tragedy such as this will reoccur.