Sulaimani Court Sentences Shaswar Abdulwahid to Five Months in Prison in Case Filed by Former MP Shadi Nawzad

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Sulaimani criminal court on Tuesday announced a five-month prison sentence against Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the opposition New Generation Movement (NGM), in the case of former MP Shadi Nawzad, intensifying the legal challenges surrounding the prominent political figure.

This session was scheduled to be held on Thursday in Sulaimani, but it was postponed for a second time, highlighting ongoing legal and political uncertainties surrounding the case.

The Sulaimani court has rescheduled Abdulwahid’s hearing to September 2, while keeping the existing arrest order in effect. A source from the NGM on Thursday told Kurdistan24 that the session was adjourned due to incomplete documentation regarding the case.

Abdulwahid was arrested on August 12, over allegations of “defamation and intimidation” linked to the case of former Kurdistan parliament member Shadi Nawzad. During the first session on August 21, Abdulwahid denied the charges and requested that witnesses be summoned to confirm his innocence.

The Sulaimani Criminal Court on Tuesday announced that Abdulwahid has been sentenced to six months in prison in absentia under Article 431 of the Iraqi Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, which pertains to threats. According to the Sulaimani Investigation Court’s Second Criminal Branch, the arrest order was issued on Aug. 3, 2025.

In a parallel action, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Finance and Economy moved forward with plans to auction 60 properties belonging to Abdulwahid’s Nalia and Chavy Companies to settle an outstanding debt nearing 92 billion Iraqi dinars.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the ministry confirmed that the accumulated debt of Nalia Company amounts to 91,760,066,350 dinars. To recover these public funds, the ministry will sell a wide-ranging portfolio of seized assets — including plots of land, hotels, cafeterias, and tourist cabins — through a public auction. The process will begin after the official announcement is published in the government gazette, with participation open to any interested parties.

The ministry underscored that the action is based on multiple court rulings in its favor. Among them was a landmark October 2021 decision by the Kurdistan Region Court of Cassation and its Civil Appellate Panel, which upheld the government’s case. In September 2024, the Second Sulaimani Enforcement Directorate placed a formal seizure notice on Nalia and Chavy Company properties, a move later upheld by the Sulaimani Court of Appeal in November 2024 after Nalia’s challenge was rejected.

This latest push follows earlier attempts to liquidate Nalia’s assets. A committee had previously earmarked four plots of land for auction, but that plan was suspended by the Minister of Finance and Economy after discovering that the land had been designated for public services and green spaces, making their sale unlawful. Following further review and legal adjustments, seizure orders were expanded to 60 properties eligible for sale.

The ministry said the auction was triggered by a request from Sulaimani Bank One, a state-owned financial institution, after Nalia Company failed to respond to repeated notices demanding repayment.

These financial measures add a powerful new layer of pressure on Abdulwahid, who is already entangled in multiple court cases. The case has been attracting significant attention because Abdulwahid is a prominent political figure in the Kurdistan Region, known for his critical stances.