SULAIMANI,— Shaswar Abdulwahid, a Kurdish opposition leader and owner of a television network, was freed on bail on Wednesday in Sulaimani city in Iraqi Kurdistan, media close to him said.
He left custody as family members, lawmakers, and close associates gathered outside to receive him, the reports said.
Abdulwahid had completed a five month prison sentence that formally ended in late December 2025. Despite that, a court order on January 5 extended his detention for up to 12 months over separate cases that remain under review, according to the media.
He heads the New Generation Movement NGM, known in Kurdish as Cûłanewey Newey Nwê, which is considered the largest opposition force in Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Abdulwahid also owns the Sulaimani based NRT television network.
Security forces arrested him in mid August 2025 in Sulaimani city. A court later sentenced him to five months in prison on charges related to making serious threats against individuals, their property, or their reputation.
The NGM rejected the case and described the proceedings as politically driven. Party officials said his absence harmed their campaign during Iraq parliamentary elections held in November, when the Movement lost a significant share of votes.
In October 2025, the caretaker Kurdistan Regional Government auctioned nearly 60 properties connected to Abdulwahid from the Chavy Land entertainment complex in Sulaimani.
Officials said the action followed his failure to repay government loans. Authorities stated that the sale generated more than 91 billion Iraqi dinars, equal to about $69.5 million U.S. dollars.
Investors have also raised concerns about financial management. Shareholders said dividends were not distributed as expected, noting that returns on an estimated 22 million dollar investment since 2011 were limited. Some investors reported receiving about 80,000 dinars, or roughly 67 dollars, over ten years.
Reports indicate Abdulwahid continues to face additional legal cases.
Since founding the NGM in 2017, he has been detained several times, including in cases involving blackmail allegations. He has also survived an assassination attempt, party officials said.
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