Mala Bakhtiar condemns raid on Chawder Enlightenment Center Network
Bakhtiar condemned the raid, stating, "The raid on the headquarters of the Chawder Enlightenment Center Network is breaking the pen of writers and silencing beautiful thoughts."
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In an exclusive interview with Kurdistan24, prominent politician Mala Bakhtiar expressed strong criticism over the recent raid on the headquarters of the Chawder Enlightenment Center Network by forces affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The center, which has been a hub for intellectual and cultural activities, has reportedly organized 26 festivals, educated 300 writers, and published 700 newspaper issues along with more than 150 editions of Galawezh magazine.
Bakhtiar condemned the raid, stating, "The raid on the headquarters of the Chawder Enlightenment Center Network is breaking the pen of writers and silencing beautiful thoughts." He emphasized that legal procedures should have been followed, with a court order being presented instead of an order issued by the party.
The politician warned that the actions taken would have a detrimental effect on the PUK's image, particularly among the families of martyrs and genuine members of the party, many of whom he described as having a strong moral conscience. "We are taking the PUK towards a real and multi-platform approach, towards better defending freedom and democracy," Bakhtiar said. "But those who raided the headquarters are not the real PUK because they do not accept freedom or democracy."
The incident has sparked concern and debate within the PUK, highlighting tensions within the party regarding its direction and values.
The Metro Center for Defending Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy also condemned the raid.
Read More: Metro Center condemns PUK raid on Chawder Center HQ in Sulaimani
