Peregraf
The New Generation Movement (NGM) faction in the Kurdistan Parliament announced on Thursday that the trial of its leader, Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir, has been postponed to August 28. The court ordered that he remain in custody until the new hearing date.
Abdulwahid appeared before a judge earlier today, where supporters gathered in court and applauded him during the session. His arrest on August 12 in Sulaymaniyah has sparked controversy and political tension.
According to security and judicial sources, the arrest was carried out based on a legal complaint and a judge’s order. A source told Peregraf that Abdulwahid had previously been sentenced in absentia to six months in prison by Sulaymaniyah’s Second Court on August 3, 2025. The case, originally filed in 2019, led to a two-week detention period at the time. The source, however, declined to share further details about the nature of the complaint or the identity of the complainant.
Following his detention, the New Generation Movement accused the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of orchestrating the arrest for political reasons. In a statement released by the party’s media outlets, NGM described the arrest as a “kidnapping,” claiming it was motivated by Abdulwahid’s recent public warnings over the government’s failure to resolve the public salary crisis.
Earlier this week, Abdulwahid had threatened that the New Generation Movement would take significant political steps if the authorities in Erbil and Baghdad did not implement agreements to release delayed public sector salaries.
The arrest has intensified the already tense political climate in the Kurdistan Region, where disputes over delayed salaries and power-sharing among ruling parties continue to fuel public anger and rivalry among factions.
NGM lawmakers said they will continue to monitor the case and accused the authorities of using the judiciary as a tool against political opponents. Meanwhile, the court emphasized that the proceedings will follow legal protocols and the next hearing will take place on August 28.