Lahur Sheikh Jangi Expected to Testify at Sept. 17 Hearing

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Sulaimani Criminal Court No. 2 has scheduled the next hearing in the case of Lahur Sheikh Jangi and other detainees linked to the Lalezar clashes for Thursday, Sept. 17, when Sheikh Jangi and two other defendants are expected to give their statements.

Dana Taqiaddin, a member of the legal team representing Sheikh Jangi, told Kurdistan24 correspondent Hawzhin Jamal on Sunday that the judge had set the new date after the defense team returned to court seeking continuation of the proceedings.

Taqiaddin said the court is expected to hear statements from Lahur Sheikh Jangi, Polad Sheikh Jangi and Rebar Hamid Haji Ghali, the three defendants whose testimony has not yet been completed.

The case has faced repeated delays, with the upcoming session marking the latest attempt to move the proceedings forward after several postponements over the past month.

According to the defense team, 12 defendants are being tried under Article 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code.

Statements from nine defendants were heard during an earlier session, while another defendant testified at the subsequent hearing. During the previous session, the judge also reheard several detainees after their accounts differed from statements they had previously given.

Sheikh Jangi's family has criticized the proceedings and alleged that some changes in testimony formed part of a predetermined "scenario."

The detainees, meanwhile, have alleged that earlier statements attributed to them by security services were obtained under torture and that they later changed those accounts when appearing before the court.

Those allegations have not been independently verified, and no final judicial determination has been issued regarding them.

Sheikh Jangi faces charges under Articles 406 and 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code, according to the defense team.

The Sept. 17 hearing, however, is expected to concern only Article 56, which relates to agreements among groups to jointly commit one or more criminal acts.

Taqiaddin said Sheikh Jangi's lawyers have prepared dozens of documents for his defense as they seek to prevent a new judgment from being issued against him.

The first court hearing involving Sheikh Jangi was held in Sulaimani on Jan. 12, 2026.

Proceedings have continued intermittently since then, with the case complicated by repeated delays and the absence of complainants from some hearings.

According to information provided to Kurdistan24, the case file runs to approximately 800 pages.

The proceedings stem from armed clashes near the Lalezar Hotel in Sulaimani on the night of Aug. 22, 2025.

Fighting broke out between forces affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Bafel Talabani, and armed supporters of Lahur Sheikh Jangi.

After several hours of clashes, Sheikh Jangi and dozens of his supporters were arrested.

Several people on both sides were killed or wounded during the confrontation.

More than a year later, the legal proceedings remain unresolved.

Sunday's court visit by the defense team followed the fifth hearing in the case, held last Thursday.

Taqiaddin told Kurdistan24 that some defendants were questioned again because their court testimony differed from statements recorded earlier in the proceedings.

The defense has continued to challenge parts of the case and has raised concerns about the treatment of detainees and the conduct of the investigation.

The court has not yet issued a final ruling on the case.

The expected testimony from Lahur Sheikh Jangi, Polad Sheikh Jangi and Rebar Hamid Haji Ghali could mark an important procedural stage, although Taqiaddin indicated that additional sessions may still be required before the court completes the evidentiary phase.

The Sept. 17 hearing therefore comes as one of the most closely watched stages yet in a case that has remained politically and legally sensitive since the Lalezar clashes more than a year ago.