President Nechirvan Barzani received UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk, and his accompanying delegation in Erbil on Monday.

The meeting highlighted the delegation’s visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, their first such visit to the country, as well as the situation of human rights and liberties, the working environment and activities of civil society organizations and freedom of the press. They also discussed the opportunities and obstacles of journalism in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

In this context, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights shared his observations on a number of areas of human rights, liberties and the work of civil society organizations in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

President Nechirvan Barzani, for his part, described the visit as important, and underlined the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to protecting and promoting democracy, human rights and liberties, freedom of expression, and equality and justice.

In this regard, the President called on the UN agencies in these fields to assist the relevant parties in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, especially as Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are in transition and need assistance and support to develop and strengthen these areas.