Shaswar Abdulwahid sentenced to five months in Iraqi Kurdistan

Shaswar Abdulwahid sentenced to five months in jail in Iraqi Kurdistan — Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement (Cûłanewey Newey Nwê), Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, August 2025. Photo: Video/Abdulwahid’s FB

Kurdistan Regional Government to auction 60 properties owned by Shaswar Abdulwahid over debts

SULAIMANI,— A court in the city of Sulaimani in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region sentenced opposition leader Shaswar Abdulwahid to five months in prison on Tuesday, according to his lawyer and party officials.

Abdulwahid, a businessman turned politician, heads the New Generation Movement (Cûłanewey Newey Nwê), which holds 15 of 100 seats in the Kurdistan parliament and nine seats in Iraq’s national legislature.

The group positions itself as the main challenger to the region’s dominant parties, the Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

The ruling was announced by Abdulwahid’s lawyer, Bashdar Hasan, who told reporters the legal team plans to appeal. “The court sentenced Mr. Abdulwahid to five months in prison,” Hasan said without providing further details about the charges.

Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement (Cûłanewey Newey Nwê), greets supporters inside Sulaimani Court, Iraqi Kurdistan, September 2, 2025. Photo: Video/SM

The conviction is linked to a series of complaints filed against the politician. According to party officials, 79 lawsuits were submitted, most of them by shareholders of Chavi Land, a major amusement park project in Sulaimani.

Others were brought by individuals and some institutions associated with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The legal decision came shortly after KRG’s Ministry of Finance and Economy confirmed that 60 properties tied to Nalia and Chavi companies had been seized for public auction.

The General Directorate of Commercial Banks announced Sunday that the companies, both linked to Abdulwahid, owe around 92 billion Iraqi dinars.

The ministry said the auction would cover an outstanding debt of 91.76 billion dinars, including interest. Properties on the list include land parcels, hotels, tourist cabins, cafeterias, and other assets. The sale process will begin once it is published in the official gazette.

Chavi Land, located in Sulaimani, has been one of the region’s largest recreational projects, featuring roller coasters, a telefric system, a wax museum, a movie theater, restaurants, and hotels.

Shareholders have accused Abdulwahid of withholding dividend payments and claimed they have received minimal returns on a $22 million investment since 2011.

Some investors say they received as little as 80,000 dinars (about $67) over the past decade.

Many of those who invested were ordinary citizens, including orphans, who hoped the project would secure financial benefits, according to one shareholder. After repeated attempts to recover their money and meet Abdulwahid failed, they turned to the courts.

The New Generation Movement NGM dismissed the court ruling as politically motivated and vowed to continue challenging the KDP and PUK. “We will pursue the same vision and path of Mr. Shaswar,” the party said in a statement.

“Our efforts to oppose the looting and the gangster regime of the PUK and KDP will only intensify.” The group also signaled readiness for Iraq’s parliamentary elections scheduled for November. The party is part of the broader electoral alliance led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Abdulwahid was arrested on august 12, 2025, at his home in Sulaimani in connection with a defamation case filed by a former member of parliament. it was not his first detention.

Since founding the New Generation Movement in 2017, he has been arrested multiple times, including on blackmail charges, and has also survived an assassination attempt.

Known for his strong focus on personal image, Abdulwahid often appears in public wearing stylish clothes, keeping a well-groomed beard, and paying close attention to skincare and overall appearance.

Tensions flared again this month when clashes broke out in Sulaimani during the arrest of former PUK leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi Talabani, who now heads the opposition People’s Front (Berey Gel), 10 days after Abdulwahid’s detention.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)