New Generation's Shaswar Abdulwahid arrested in Sulaimani

SULAIMANI,— Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir, leader of the New Generation Movement (NGM) (Cûłanewey Newey Nwê), a main opposition party in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, was detained Tuesday night in Sulaimani, according to his party, which described the arrest as an “abduction” by forces linked to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

The NGM said Abdulwahid was taken around 10 p.m. without advance notice.

Authorities have not provided details on when he will serve his sentence or the exact circumstances of the arrest.

Sarkawt Ahmed, spokesperson for the Sulaimani police said the detention was carried out under a judge’s order after Abdulwahid allegedly failed to appear in court several times.

Abdulwahid had previously been sentenced in absentia to six months in prison under Article 431 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which criminalizes issuing threats. The article allows penalties of up to five years in cases deemed aggravated.

In a statement, the NGM blamed PUK leader Bafel Talabani and senior member Qubad Talabani, the Kurdistan Region’s deputy prime minister, for the arrest. The party urged international consuls and envoys to “take a stance” against what it called “illegal and mafia-like behavior.”

The NGM said the detention came shortly after Abdulwahid warned that if the salary dispute between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad was not resolved this week, his party would take “practical action” next week.

NRT TV, owned by Abdulwahid, reported that several members of the Iraqi Parliament also condemned the arrest. Hadi Salami, a member of the parliament’s Integrity Committee, described it as a “clear constitutional and legal violation” and called for Abdulwahid’s immediate release.

In a recorded message issued before his detention, Abdulwahid claimed the PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) sought to silence him during the election campaign.

Court-issued arrest warrant for Shaswar Abdulwahid, the leader of the New Generation Movement (Cûłanewey Newey Nwê), Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2025. Photo: police/court

He alleged both parties had reached an agreement and viewed him as their “main problem,” not the public’s economic concerns. He urged citizens not to trust either party.

The NGM further accused the PUK of sending armed forces to raid Abdulwahid’s home without a legal warrant and said he was taken to an unknown location.

The party stated it is in contact with international organizations to highlight what it described as “oppressive and authoritarian” actions by the region’s leadership.

Sulaimani Court Extends Detention of Abdulwahid

A court in Sulaimani city on Wednesday extended the detention of Abdulwahid until Thursday, August 21, 2025, according to NRT.

Since early Wednesday, all NGM members of parliament, joined by hundreds of party volunteers, gathered outside the Sulaimani court in a show of support for Abdulwahid. Dozens of independent lawyers from across the Kurdistan Region were also present, offering legal assistance and preparing to defend the opposition leader.

This is not Abdulwahid’s first encounter with legal troubles. In July 2019, a Sulaimani court issued an arrest warrant against him in connection with a fraud lawsuit involving Chavy Land, a large amusement park in the city.

Shareholders accused him of failing to pay dividends for several years and claimed to have received only minimal returns on a $22 million investment since 2011. The lawsuit alleged violations of Article 456 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which carries potential prison terms of three months to five years.

In May 2019, he was detained for two weeks on charges of “misusing a communication device” and defamation.

He was also briefly arrested that March on similar charges. Some members of his own movement have accused him of placing relatives in key positions and treating the party as a personal business.

The NGM, founded by Abdulwahid ahead of the 2018 regional elections, is currently the Kurdistan Region’s largest opposition bloc, holding 15 seats in parliament.

(With files from Agencies)