Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union condemns arrest of New Generation Movement leader in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

ANKAWA, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — The Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union (Huyodo d’Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA) has strongly condemned the arrest of Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement (Cûlanewey Newey Nwê, NGM), who was detained on 12 August in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) on undisclosed charges. A court hearing on Wednesday extended his detention until 24 August, with another hearing scheduled for 21 August.

In its statement, HBA’s political bureau denounced Abdulwahid’s arrest by Kurdish authorities, claiming it occurred “for no reason other than that he speaks the truth and demands that the institutions in the KRI uphold the rule of law and citizens’ rights, including those of all components — Chaldeans–Syriacs–Assyrians, Yezidis, Turkmen, and Kurds.”

The HBA led by former Iraqi MP Joseph Sliwa, warned that using the judiciary to intimidate citizens and silence dissenting voices is a regressive step for the KRI as a whole and will only deepen public dissatisfaction with the ruling parties. The HBA stressed that silencing the opposition undermines democratic principles and represents a major setback to the much-needed reform of the KRI’s political system. Instead, it urged the KRI to “embrace transparency and protect the right to expression and speech guaranteed by the Iraqi Constitution.”

The statement concluded by calling for the immediate release of opposition leader Shaswar Abdulwahid, the protection of citizens’ rights, and the adoption of genuine social justice.

Shaswar Abdulwahid, a former businessman, founded the New Generation Movement in 2017. The party currently holds 15 seats in the KRI parliament, which is dominated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (39 seats) of the Barzani family and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (23 seats) of the Talabani family. The NGM has denounced Abdulwahid’s detention as politically motivated.