Kirkuk Kurdish official rejects Iraqi court ruling as politically motivated
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The acting head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council Rebwar Talabani dismissed on Thursday an Iraqi court verdict against him for alleged illegal spending of state funds as politically motivated with sympathy pouring in from Kurdish parties.
"What is being done against us is retaliation by some people within the government who work for external agendas,” Talabani told the media in Erbil.
“And inside Kirkuk there are some political parties who do not want Rebwar Talabani to remain in his post,” he added.
A Kirkuk court sentenced Talabani earlier this week to six months imprisonment for the illegal spending of millions of Iraqi dinars.
The court said Talabani had spent 76 million dinars ($63,750) “outside of legal measures” and issuing a warrant for the arrest of the Kurdish politician.
Talabani is now living in Erbil and was sentenced in absentia.
He said he would not return to Kirkuk unless its situation has returned to normal.
"I am challenging all the courts of Iraq from their smallest to the biggest to find a single tiny spot against Rebwar Talabani. They have been running my affairs for a year now, yet failed to find a single evidence to accuse me," Talabani said.
"What they do now is an outright violation of the constitution and Iraqi laws," Talabani said.
The acting head of Kirkuk Provincial Council said he would appeal against the court verdict.
The head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, also condemned the court as "completely political, and not related to judicial or legal subjects."
"Rebwar Talabani has stood against the violations of the constitution and law. As the head of Kirkuk Provincial Council, he defended the interests of all the components of Kirkuk,” Barzani said in a published statement.
Talabani’s own party the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), dubbed the court ruling as a “politically motivated” decision by a court that has failed keep neutral.
This is the third court case against Talabani since he left Kirkuk for Erbil after the events of October 16, 2017 when Iraqi forces took control of the disputed province and many Kurdish politicians, business owners, and residents fled the city.
"What is being done against us is retaliation by some people within the government who work for external agendas,” Talabani told the media in Erbil.
“And inside Kirkuk there are some political parties who do not want Rebwar Talabani to remain in his post,” he added.
A Kirkuk court sentenced Talabani earlier this week to six months imprisonment for the illegal spending of millions of Iraqi dinars.
The court said Talabani had spent 76 million dinars ($63,750) “outside of legal measures” and issuing a warrant for the arrest of the Kurdish politician.
Talabani is now living in Erbil and was sentenced in absentia.
He said he would not return to Kirkuk unless its situation has returned to normal.
"I am challenging all the courts of Iraq from their smallest to the biggest to find a single tiny spot against Rebwar Talabani. They have been running my affairs for a year now, yet failed to find a single evidence to accuse me," Talabani said.
"What they do now is an outright violation of the constitution and Iraqi laws," Talabani said.
The acting head of Kirkuk Provincial Council said he would appeal against the court verdict.
The head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, also condemned the court as "completely political, and not related to judicial or legal subjects."
"Rebwar Talabani has stood against the violations of the constitution and law. As the head of Kirkuk Provincial Council, he defended the interests of all the components of Kirkuk,” Barzani said in a published statement.
Talabani’s own party the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), dubbed the court ruling as a “politically motivated” decision by a court that has failed keep neutral.
This is the third court case against Talabani since he left Kirkuk for Erbil after the events of October 16, 2017 when Iraqi forces took control of the disputed province and many Kurdish politicians, business owners, and residents fled the city.