SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Zoom News TV announces that its Facebook homepage has been taken down at 9:38 am on Thursday due to a cyberattack.
This incident marks the second attack on the channel’s official Facebook page, both traced to the email address ‘[email protected],’ associated with “Channel 8.” The first attack occurred in June, with around ten attempts to compromise the page.
Zoom News views these actions as part of a broader effort to silence media voices in the Kurdistan Region, following the recent arrest and torture of our reporter, Avin Atta, in Khurmal district, Halabja province. The channel calls on local and international authorities to take action against these violations and to uphold press freedom.
Despite ongoing challenges, Zoom News says it remains steadfast in its commitment to journalistic integrity and serving the public.
Full statement from Zoom News TV:
Statement from Zoom News TV
Despite arrests and torture, Zoom News has not wavered in its coverage—nor will cyberattacks stop us.
At 9:38 am on August 22, 2024, our Facebook homepage was taken down. After investigating and contacting Meta, our technical team confirmed that a cyberattack was responsible. This marks the second such attack on our official Facebook page.
Our team has traced both attacks to the email address ‘[email protected],’ listed under the ownership of “Channel 8.” The first attack occurred in June, when the same email targeted our page around 10 times.
Zoom TV views these attacks as attempts to silence free voices and restrict media operations in the Kurdistan Region. We inform relevant parties in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, embassies, consulates, and international representatives of these violations, urging them to support free expression and press the Kurdistan Region’s authorities to respect press freedom, cease arrests and torture of journalists, and halt cyberattacks on media institutions.
This latest attack comes just three days after our reporter, Avin Atta, was arrested and tortured by security forces in Khurmal district, Halabja province.
Zoom News remains committed to its mission. Pressure and attacks will not deter us. Established on principles of professionalism, accuracy, and problem-solving, we will continue to amplify the voices of the people and pursue our objectives.
Zoom News TV Channel
August 22, 2024
