Nerwayi: Legal Matters Cannot Be Politicised Through Irresponsible Media Agendas

P.U.K 10:40 AM - 2025-08-25

Latif Nerwayi, Head of the PUK Media Board.

Latif Nerwayi, Head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Media Board, has stated that the recent incidents in Sulaymaniyah are comparable to those that previously took place in Erbil. He emphasised that both the case of Shaswar Abdulwahid and the Lalezar incident are legal matters, handled strictly in accordance with judicial rulings and official court documents. However, he accused the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) media of deliberately fuelling tensions in Sulaymaniyah through irresponsible and politically motivated reporting.

The Independence of Sulaymaniyah Court

Speaking on the programme Target on Channel 8, Nerwayi explained: “The arrest and trial of Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir in Sulaymaniyah, and the ongoing proceedings against Sherwan Sherwani in Erbil, are of a similar nature. However, there is a clear distinction between the two. In Erbil, no private party had filed a lawsuit against Sherwani, and neither his lawyer nor his relatives were allowed to attend his trial. By contrast, when Shaswar Abdulwahid appeared before the Sulaymaniyah court, his family, activists, and members of his party, the New Generation Movement, were all present. This demonstrates that the Sulaymaniyah court operates independently and is not subject to domination by the PUK.”

He reiterated that both the case of Abdulwahid and the Lalezar events are legal matters directly tied to court procedures and rulings.

On 22 August 2025, armed clashes broke out in Sulaymaniyah as the Kurdistan Region Security Agency's (Asayish) forces went on a duty to arrest Lahur Jangi, leader of the People’s Front, at the Lalezar Hotel under a judicial warrant issued pursuant to Article 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code. Despite repeated calls for a peaceful surrender, according to the Asayish, Jangi and his associates resisted, declaring they commanded an armed force, and opened fire on the Asayish.

The clashes lasted three hours before security forces brought the hotel under control, arresting Lahur and his brother Polad Jangi. Three members of the security forces were martyred during the operation. Sulaymaniyah Court Spokesperson confirmed the defendants now face further charges under Article 406 of the Penal Code, relating to premeditated murder.

On 12 August 2025, Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement, was arrested by Sulaymaniyah police forces following a warrant issued by the court. The warrant was issued as since 2021, a former MP of the New Generation Movement has filed complaints against him, and the court has repeatedly summoned Abdulwahid. However, he did not appear before the judge. In addition, he has many other lawsuits filed by stakeholders of Chavi Land, who have asked for returns on their investment for years. A document from the finance ministry’s tax office, dated 21 July 2015 and directed to the mayor of central Sulaymaniyah district, ordered the shutdown of Chavi Land, citing the business owner’s failure to respond to several warnings issued to them regarding the payment of their taxes.

Rejecting New Generation’s “Weak Scenarios”

Nerwayi stressed that the PUK will not engage with what he described as “the hostile rhetoric and fabricated narratives” of the New Generation Movement. He clarified: “The lawsuits against Shaswar Abdulwahid were not filed by the PUK. They stem from grievances lodged by citizens and the 10,000 shareholders of Chavi Land, in addition to a separate lawsuit brought by a New Generation MP and employees of NRT, through the Kurdistan Journalists’ Syndicate in Sulaymaniyah. The New Generation media seeks to politicise this case and obscure the facts, but we will not be drawn into their baseless scenarios.”

KDP Media’s Role in Destabilisation

Turning to the Lalezar incident, Nerwayi accused KDP-aligned media outlets of attempting to exploit the situation for political gain: “This is a legal matter before the court. Yet the KDP media irresponsibly published false statements in the names of President Bafel Talabani and senior commanders, with the intention of ensuring Sulaymaniyah never achieves stability. We ask KDP officials: why do they not acknowledge that it was PUK forces who liberated Makhmur and defended Erbil against the Islamic State (ISIS)? Yet when it comes to Lalezar, they hasten to accuse the PUK?”

He pointed out that during the Khurshid Harki incident—comparable to Lalezar—the PUK refrained from attributing responsibility to KDP forces, whereas the KDP media rushed to blame the PUK. “Our position has always been to resolve issues peacefully and within the judicial framework. The forces involved even issued apologies to the people of Sulaymaniyah, and compensation is being arranged for those affected. Meanwhile, media outlets in Erbil were denied the right to cover similar incidents,” he added.

The Harki tribes and KDP-affiliated forces were involved in deadly clashes last month following a reported raid on the home of prominent tribal leader Khurshid Harki. According to local sources, security forces attempted to move against Harki’s residence, sparking a confrontation with his supporters. The standoff escalated and ultimately concluded with the failure of the security forces to arrest Khurshid Harki.

Impact on PUK–KDP Relations

Nerwayi warned that the ongoing “media war” will have damaging consequences for relations between the PUK and KDP: “The two parties share responsibilities, yet such reckless media and psychological warfare undermines the foundations of cooperation. How can a government be formed when the PUK is treated as a partner one day and an adversary the next? Our media acts responsibly, and our restraint should not be mistaken for weakness. Unfortunately, the KDP media is even contradicting the messages of Mr Masoud Barzani himself, who has consistently called for unity under the principle of ‘One Force’. If these are not Kurdistan’s forces, why are they paid by the Kurdistan Regional Government?”

He added that while there had been positive momentum towards government formation and a unified programme in Baghdad, the conduct of KDP-aligned media outlets was “clearly premeditated and part of a broader agenda”.

PUK Prepared to Defend Itself

“The PUK media will continue to defend our party, our leadership, and our borders. While we have thus far refrained from initiating any media offensives, we reserve the right to respond robustly if attacks continue. We will not allow misinformation about the nature of clashes, weapons, or casualties to go unchallenged. The KDP media clearly sought to inflate the scale of events in order to tarnish Sulaymaniyah’s image internationally, at a time when important global conferences and activities are scheduled here,” Nerwayi said.

He concluded by affirming: “The PUK has not initiated a media war. But if our hand is forced, we will launch a comprehensive media campaign to defend our party, our people, and our leadership.”



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