In response to an article published by the United States based Assyrian Policy Institute under the title “KRG Imposes Discriminatory Regulation on Assyrians in Ankawa”, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Spokesperson issued the following statement:

The Kurdistan Regional Government fully refutes the allegations published in an article by the U.S. based Assyrian Policy Institute, that the KRG imposes discriminatory regulation on Assyrians in Ankawa. It is completely a fabrication and based on misinformation. KRG has one income tax policy for the entire Kurdistan Region.

The tax regulation is based on the executive order of the Council of Ministers number 1688 and it is applied equally in all provinces in the Kurdistan Region without any discrimination and regardless of the ethnic and religious composition of any districts and towns.

The executive order mentioned in the article applies all districts under the jurisdiction of the Erbil Mayorship including Erbil, Ankawa, Bahrka, and Shamamik and no district is excluded. The purpose of this executive order is to ensure that all businesses meet the public health safety standards and abide by the public safety regulations such as restaurants, coffee shops, barber and saloons, hotels and motels, clubs, casinos and other businesses.

Additionally, all tax regulations in the Kurdistan Region is based on the Iraqi income tax law number 113 of 1982, amended and ratified by the Kurdistan Parliament on October 22, 2007 and it is applied in the Kurdistan Region without any discrimination against any communities.  This law is published in the Kurdistan official gazette and on the Parliament website.

The KRG is very proud of the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity in the Kurdistan Region and we have exerted all efforts to protect and promote social cohesion and peaceful coexistence of all communities in the Kurdistan Region regardless of their political, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.

The KRG’s policies have been designed to integrate and further strengthen the social fabric and serve all citizens equally.  Thanks to these policies, the Kurdistan Region has remained safe, secure and stable even though Iraq and the Kurdistan Region faced major crises. All communities under KRG’s jurisdiction enjoy the same rights and privileges and have equal responsibilities. KRG has not and will not tolerate any prejudice or discriminations against any community in the Kurdistan Region.

We call on the Assyrian Policy Institute to review this information and avoid publishing articles not based on evidence and fact. We stand ready to provide them with the laws and regulations applicable in the Kurdistan Region.