Head of Kirkuk Provincial Council on trial for hoisting Kurdistan flag

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Head of Kirkuk Provincial Council faces trial over the decision to fly Kurdistan flag on the governorate’s public offices.

On Monday, the first trial of Rebwar Talabni, the acting Head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council was held at the Federal Court in Baghdad.

The lawsuit against Talabani was filed by some of the Turkmen members of Kirkuk Provincial Council who submitted their case to the Iraqi Administration Court. 

The decision to hoise Kurdistan flag was made by the majority members of the council and was not one person's idea. The next court session is to be held on July 24.

Talabani in an interview with Kurdistan24 defended the decision made by Kirkuk Provincial Council, stating that the vote was based on the articles 115 and 140 of the Iraqi Constitution.

He blamed the Iraqi government for not abiding by the constitution.

“They [the Turkmen members] in their lawsuit cite a bylaw approved by the Ba'ath regime in 1986 which dictates no flag shall be raised alongside with the Iraqi flag,” Talabani added.

He mentioned that he was contacted by the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani who expressed his full support for his case.

Talabani added that so far more than 50 lawyers have volunteered to defend his case in the Baghdad court.

On March 28, the Kirkuk Provincial Council approved the raising of the Kurdistan flag on all governmental buildings in the province after a majority vote.

The session was boycotted by some Arab and Turkmen members.

Editing by Ava Homa