Rights Body Says Missing Lalazar Detainees Held by Counter-Terrorism and Commando Forces in Sulaymaniyah
Peregraf
The Independent Board of Human Rights in the Kurdistan Region has raised alarm over the fate of detainees from the Lalazar clashes in Sulaimaniyah, warning that several missing individuals are being held by Counter-Terrorism and Commando forces without access to their families or rights monitors.
In a statement released on Friday, September 5, the Board said it has been following up on the case for more than two weeks but has been denied access to detainees, including opposition leader and former Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) co-president Lahur Sheikh Jangi. The statement accused local security forces of refusing requests to visit detainees and of withholding information from families.
“According to our information and follow-up, some of the missing individuals are with the Counter-Terrorism forces or the Sulaimaniyah Commando forces,” the Board said. “The denial of access and information to their families and to the Human Rights Board raises suspicion and suggests that these individuals may have been tortured and subjected to violence during interrogation.”
The rights body also said that members of the People’s Front, an opposition party led by Jangi, are still being arrested daily in Sulaimaniyah and surrounding areas. Others close to Jangi are allegedly being threatened. In addition, the Board accused authorities of arbitrarily seizing Jangi’s assets and properties, including the private Zoom TV channel.
The statement further noted that officials have failed to provide information on individuals killed during the clashes, raising doubts about the manner of their deaths.
The Lalazar clashes erupted on August 22, when PUK-led forces in Sulaymaniyah attempted to execute an arrest warrant at the Lalazar Hotel, Jangi’s headquarters. His armed forces, known as the Scorpion Force, resisted, leading to hours of gun battles in the city. At least five people were killed, dozens wounded, and over 160 detained. Authorities later accused Jangi and senior ally Azhi Amin of plotting to destabilize Sulaimaniyah and planning assassination attempts against PUK leader Bafel Talabani.
The Board said it had requested permission for its chair, Dr. Mona Yaqo, and a monitoring team to meet key detainees such as Jangi and Kurdistan Alliance Party leader Aram Qadir, but security agencies have refused. The group said it has no information on Qadir’s whereabouts or health.
“We reiterate that the Human Rights Board supports the enforcement of the law according to permitted procedures. We uphold the rule of law and oppose any form of violation or arbitrary action,” the statement said. It called for the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the Lalazar case and promised to submit a detailed report to the Kurdistan Region’s four presidencies.
The Lalazar incident has already drawn international attention. The United Nations and diplomatic missions in Erbil have urged respect for due process and transparency in handling detainees. Watchdog groups, including Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights, have also expressed concern over the implications for political freedoms and press rights in the Kurdistan Region.