New Generation Leader Shaswar Abdulwahid Released on Bail After Six Months in Detention

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the opposition New Generation Movement, was released on bail on Tuesday after spending nearly six months in detention, Kurdistan24’s correspondent in Sulaimani reported.

Abdulwahid’s release comes amid an ongoing legal process stemming from charges brought against him last year, a case that has attracted significant public attention. Abdulwahid was released on bail set at 118 million Iraqi dinars, while his cases remain open pending upcoming court hearings, according to Kurdistan24’s correspondent in Sulaimani.

The New Generation leader was arrested in mid-2025 following a court order linked to complaints filed by political rivals and former officials, accusing him of defamation and incitement through public statements and social media posts.

Prosecutors argued that his remarks undermined public institutions and damaged the reputations of senior figures, allegations Abdulwahid and his party have consistently rejected as politically motivated.

During his detention, Abdulwahid was held at facilities in Sulaimani, while several court hearings were postponed or delayed, prompting criticism from his supporters.

New Generation officials repeatedly called for his immediate release, describing the case as an attempt to silence dissent and weaken opposition voices ahead of a sensitive political period in the Kurdistan Region.

As part of the broader legal and financial disputes surrounding Abdulwahid, nearly 60 properties belonging to the Chavy Land tourism project in Sulaimani were sold at a public auction held in October, generating more than 91 billion Iraqi dinars, according to officials.

The auction was conducted under the supervision of Sulaimani’s Execution Directorate within the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Justice to recover outstanding government debts owed by Chavy Company, which is owned by Abdulwahid.

Judicial statements at the time indicated that the company’s liabilities exceeded 90 billion dinars, a figure that grew due to delays in payments for public services, including electricity, water, and taxes, part of which had initially been covered by government guarantees.

The auction coincided with a series of court proceedings involving Abdulwahid, who has faced multiple legal cases over the past year. In August 2025, the Sulaimani Criminal Court sentenced him in absentia to six months in prison under Article 431 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which relates to threats, following a complaint filed by former Kurdistan Parliament lawmaker Shadi Nawzad.

An arrest warrant was issued on Aug. 3, and police later said Abdulwahid was detained in accordance with a judicial order, rejecting claims that extraordinary security measures were used. The Chavy Land project, once promoted as a flagship private tourism investment in Sulaimani, has since become central to the legal and political controversies surrounding the New Generation leader.

The New Generation Movement, founded by Abdulwahid in 2017, has positioned itself as a reformist and anti-corruption force. Abdulwahid’s outspoken rhetoric and confrontational style have made him a polarizing figure, drawing strong support among younger voters while provoking sharp backlash from established political actors and segments of the older generation with more traditional political loyalties shaped by decades of conflict and authoritarian rule in Iraq.

While his release on bail marks a significant development, Abdulwahid’s legal case remains unresolved. Court sources told Kurdistan24 that further hearings are expected in the coming weeks, and a final ruling has yet to be issued.

Abdulwahid has not yet issued a public statement following his release.