Opposition leader appears in Sulaimani court following arrest

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of Kurdistan Region’s largest opposition party, appeared in court in Sulaimani on Thursday following his recent arrest in connection to a 2021 lawsuit for which he was previously sentenced in absentia.

Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement (NGM), was arrested in Sulaimani last week, following a judicial order. His detention stemmed from multiple failures to appear before the court in relation to a four-year-old case, court spokesperson then told Rudaw.

He appeared in a court for the first time on Thursday and was warmly welcomed by supporters and party officials.

During the hearing, Abdulwahid requested that the complainant’s three witnesses be brought in to re-testify. The presiding judge denied the request, citing time constraints, after which Abdulwahid refused to provide further responses.

The court’s spokesperson Judge Salah Hassan told Rudaw’s Arkan Ali that “the session was adjourned to August 28 to allow time for necessary legal procedures to continue.”

A judicial decree dated August 3 revealed that Abdulwahid had been sentenced in absentia to six months in prison under Article 431 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which pertains to making serious threats against others, their property, or their reputation. The charge carries a potential sentence of detention or a fine, classifying it as a lesser offense.

The original complaint was filed in 2021 by a former member of the Kurdistan Region’s parliament.

Although offenses under Article 431 are typically bailable, Judge Hassan noted last week that “releasing Abdulwahid through bail is very unlikely” due to his repeated failures to attend court proceedings.

“Even if the court grants bail, he will not be released until other legal cases against him are resolved,” Hassan added.

#BREAKING: Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the Kurdistan Region's main opposition party, the New Generation Movement, appears in court for the first time since his recent arrest. pic.twitter.com/LyZr11RUz6

— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) August 21, 2025

Following his arrest, NGM sharply criticized the move, labeling it an “abduction” carried out without prior notice. The party alleged that security forces affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) were behind the detention, and directly accused PUK leader Bafel Talabani and Deputy Prime Minister and leading PUK figure Qubad Talabani of standing behind it.

However, the Sulaimani court denied these accusations.

“There has been no political interference in this case,” Judge Hassan said, adding, “This lawsuit is not new.” He emphasized that proceedings are based on evidence presented in Abdulwahid’s absence.

While no new testimony from the complainant will be accepted, Abdulwahid will be given the opportunity to defend himself. If his defense is deemed valid, the sentence may be modified. Otherwise, the original ruling will stand, and he will serve the six-month term.

Abdulwahid is also entangled in ongoing financial and civil cases.

Judicial documents reviewed by Rudaw show that companies owned by him face enforcement orders for the seizure and auction of assets to repay significant debts to a local bank - linked to a September 2024 court ruling.

Abdulwahid founded the NGM in 2018 as a reformist political force. The party quickly gained traction and is widely seen as the Kurdistan Region’s most outspoken opposition group. In the October 2021 parliamentary elections, NGM secured third place, winning 15 out of 100 seats in the legislature.

 

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