Prominent opposition leader in Iraqi Kurdistan arrested by security forces

Shaswar Abdulwahid was sentenced to six months in his absence for 'threatening behaviour'

Shaswar Abdulwahid, head of the New Generation Movement, shows his inked finger after voting in Sulaimaniyah in 2021. AFP

Security authorities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq arrested late on Tuesday the prominent opposition leader Shaswar Abdulwahid, his New Generation Movement announced.

The party claimed security forces affiliated with the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party broke into his home and arrested him “without any legal process”, it said in the statement, adding that his whereabouts is still unknown.

“A force affiliated to a party arrested the leader of the largest opposition group,” it said. “This carries nothing but shame and disgrace. Neither Shaswar Abdulwahid nor the New Generation can be subdued, and we, Shaswar’s comrades, will continue the path of justice and righteousness."

According to a judicial decree document dated August 3 and circulated on social media, Mr Abdulwahid has been sentenced to six months in his absence under Article 431 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which penalises threatening behaviour or attributing dishonourable matters. No more details were released on the charges.

Regional police told local Kurdish media outlets that they acted on a judge order to arrest Mr Abdulwahid in connection with a complaint filed by a lawmaker in the Kurdistan Parliament, accusing him of making threats. He was brought to court on Wednesday, but the hearing was postponed to August 21, local media reported.

The New Generation Movement was established in 2017 as a liberal political party in Sulaymaniyah province. Since then it has emerged as a powerful opposition group which challenged the influential tradition parties PUK and its rival Kurdistan Democratic Party.

It came third in October last year in Kurdistan’s parliamentary elections after KDP and PUK, winning 15 seats in the 111-seat legislative body. Political wrangling between the rivals have derailed forming the new government in Kurdistan.

Mr Abdulwahid is a vocal critic of the two ruling parties. He filed several lawsuits at the Federal Supreme Court in Baghdad challenging key regional government actions. Last week, he threatened the government with "escalatory measures" if it does not honour its agreement with Baghdad, which stipulates handing over oil from the region to ensure the transfer of public employees' salaries.

In March 2019, Mr Abdulwahid appeared in court in Sulaymaniyah on charges of "assaulting state employees" and defamation after an altercation at the airport. He was arrested, held briefly, and released on bail. The New Generation party denounced the charges as politically motivated and accused the region’s dominant parties of influencing the judiciary.

The New Generation has nine seats in the federal 329-seat Parliament and Mr Abdulwahid maintains strong ties with Iraqi Prime Minster Mohammed Shia Al Sudani.