ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Several senior officials from Kurdistan Region’s opposition New Generation Movement were arrested in Sulaimani province on Thursday amid the party’s preparations for protests in the Region on Saturday demanding reforms. A media watchdog on Friday called for the “immediate” release of the officials. Inspired by the recent anti-corruption protests in the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad by the supporters of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the Kurdish newly-founded New Generation Movement announced last week that it was planning demonstrations in most parts of the Kurdistan Region on Saturday. The movement calls for the improvement of the lives of government employees, employment opportunities, removal of certain taxes, and reduction in fuel prices. A senior official from the movement told Rudaw on the condition of anonymity on Thursday that the security forces in Sulaimani had raided the party’s headquarters in the city earlier in the day and arrested a number of its officials, including Himdad Shahin, spokesperson of the movement and a leadership member. The movement has not confirmed the arrests. Rahman Gharib, head of Metro Center for defending journalists, told Rudaw’s Soran Hussein on Friday that “a large number” of the movement’s officials have been arrested in Sulaimani but only five have been confirmed by his organisation. Gharib added that in addition to the spokesperson, four members of the movement’s High Council have been arrested. He called for the “immediate” release of the officials. “The security forces have raided the houses of a number of activists and top officials from the New Generation Movement and arrested them without showing them arrest warrants. This is against the principles of human rights and Kurdistan Region’s laws,” said the head of the media watchdog. Security forces in Sulaimani have not commented on the arrests. The New Generation Movement was founded by the businessman-turned-politician Shaswar Abdulwahid in 2017. It has gained a large popular support in Sulaimani province. It gained eight seats from the 111-seat Kurdish parliament in 2018 but a number of its parliamentarians later resigned from the movement due to disagreements. The movement also gained nine seats in the 329-seat Iraqi legislature last year. Abdulwahid has often challenged the Kurdish authorities by providing cheaper petrol and paving roads. He has also led a number of anti-government protests in recent years. However, the politician has come under fire for allegedly stealing money from shareholders and refusing to pay government debts. He has failed to hold large protests in Erbil and Duhok provinces.
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