ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the Kurdistan Region’s main opposition New Generation Movement (NGM), was arrested in Sulaimani on Tuesday night, security sources told Rudaw, with his party condemning the arrest and saying he was “abducted.”
A Sulaimani police source said that Abdulwahid was arrested “by a judge’s order,” adding that the arrest was a legal matter as he had allegedly failed to appear in court several times.
In a statement, the NGM condemned his arrest, saying he was taken away by security forces affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
“The abduction of Mr. Shaswar comes after he announced in recent days that if the salary issue is not resolved and the government does not implement the agreement, then next week the New Generation will take important practical action,” it said in a statement.
The NGM explained that Abdulwahid was arrested at 10 pm “without prior notice.”
His party further slammed the arrest, holding PUK leader Bafel Talabani and Qubad Talabani, a senior PUK member and the Kurdistan Region’s deputy prime minister, responsible.
“We call on international consuls and representatives to take a stance and not remain silent in the face of this illegal and mafia-like behavior by PUK leaders,” the NGM asserted.
The NGM is the Kurdistan Region’s most vocal opposition force. Formed by Abdulwahid to contest the 2018 regional elections, it has seen a dramatic rise in popularity and scored third place in the October 20 Kurdistan parliament elections with 15 seats.
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