Barzani: Baghdad issues arrest warrants against whoever speaks freely

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani on Thursday accused the Federal Government of Iraq of arresting whoever expresses their opinion openly.

Iraq's Rusafa court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for the Vice-President of the Kurdistan Region and the deputy head of the Patriotic Union of the Kurdistan Region, Kosrat Rasool Ali, for calling the Iraqi security forces ‘occupiers’ in remarks he made following the Oct. 16 assault on Kirkuk.

Barzani insisted the decision was 'political' and 'clearly revealed' Baghdad's mentality. “If a nation peacefully expresses its opinion, Baghdad will collectively punish it.”

“If somebody expresses their opinion, arrest warrants will be issued against them,” he said in his statement. “It is this mentality that makes it impossible to live with them.”

Mid-2014, following the rise of the Islamic State (IS) in northern Iraq, the Iraqi army collapsed and failed to defend Kirkuk from the attacks of the jihadist group. Since then, Peshmerga Forces have been protecting the multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk, which is home to Turkmen, Arabs, Christians, and a Kurdish majority.

On Oct. 16, the Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi and Iraqi Forces overran Kirkuk, driving tens of thousands of people to flee to Erbil and Sulaimani.

“Let Baghdad's officials decree however they want, but they should know that they cannot arrest a hero like Mr. Kosrat, and others. They have no right to do so,” Barzani concluded.

Recently, the same court also issued arrest warrants for members of the Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission (IHERC) for acting against the ruling of the Iraq's highest court by holding and overseeing the Sep. 25 vote in the Kurdistan Region.

Tensions have increased between Erbil and Baghdad following the Kurdistan Region’s Sep. 25 independence referendum, which saw nearly 93 percent voting for secession from Iraq.

In the aftermath of the vote, the Iraqi government has imposed a set of punitive measures and sanctions on the Kurdistan Region for holding the plebiscite, as well as military threats.

Editing by G.H. Renaud