Dutch journalist declared persona non grata, deported from Iraqi Kurdistan
Geerdink announced via Twitter that she was being deported from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq while on her way to northeast Syria. “I almost crossed the border into northeast-Syria when suddenly atmosphere changed, I was put in a car with police and brought to Erbil airport,” Geerdink said.
BREAKING
— Frederike Geerdink (@fgeerdink) July 13, 2022
i'm deported from the kurdistan region in iraq. i almost crossed the border into northeast-syria when suddenly atmosphere changed, i was put in a car with police and brought to erbil airport, where i'm now. persona non grata. erdoğan's arm is long. #journalismisnotacrime
The Dutch journalist also signaled that she was on her way to Kobani “for a big story for a Dutch magazine” when she was apprehended.
on he bright side: the chance that erdoğan will drone me to smithereens on the way to kobani (because that's where i was going for a big story for a dutch magazine) has decreased to zero.
— Frederike Geerdink (@fgeerdink) July 13, 2022
Geerdink specializes in reporting on Kurdish political issues. She was arrested twice in Turkey and was deported in 2015.
