Helwest List leader alleges ‘kidnapping, threats’ against candidate in Penjwin

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Ali Hama Saleh, the leader of the Helwest (National Stance Movement) List, has made a serious allegation of candidate intimidation as the Kurdistan Region's sixth parliamentary elections get underway.

Saleh claims that Mamosta Aziz, a Helwest List candidate in Penjwin, has been kidnapped by members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and forced to record a video under duress.

The accusation was made public on Friday, through Saleh’s official Facebook page.

In his post, Salih shared an audio message purportedly from Mamosta Aziz's daughter, stating: "Mr. Ali, I am Mamosta Aziz's daughter. Last night in Sulaimani, the PUK forcibly took my father from our home and threatened him. They opened a file on him at gunpoint, saying they would kill him and threaten his children if he doesn't withdraw from the election."

This alleged incident occurs against the backdrop of the special voting process for security forces, which began at 7:00 AM on Friday and will continue until 6:00 PM. The general election is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 20.

According to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) of Iraq, which is overseeing the election, the total number of eligible voters for the Kurdistan Parliament's sixth term election is 2,889,878. Of these, 215,960 are classified as special voters participating in today's poll.

These serious allegations of candidate intimidation raise concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in some areas of the Kurdistan Region. As of now, there has been no official response from the PUK regarding these accusations.

Kurdistan24 is closely following this developing story and will provide updates as more information becomes available. The incident underscores the tensions that can arise during electoral periods and the importance of ensuring a free and fair voting process for all candidates and parties involved.