Kurdish court approves result of independence referendum

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A Kurdish court tasked to review the results of the Kurdish referendum has approved the outcome of the September 25 vote that saw an overwhelming 92 percent of the people in the Kurdistan Region and the disputed areas voting to suceed from Iraq.

 

Ismael Khurmali, an executive member of the Kurdish election commission that organized the referendum told Rudaw that the court reviewed and finally approved the outcome since there were no complaints about irregularities during the process.

 

“This means the preliminary results will become the final results,” Khurmali said.

 

The commission published the preliminary results two days after the vote in a press conference in Erbil. 

 

It said that 92.73 percent of voters cast ‘yes’ ballots.

 

Out of 3,085,935 valid ballots, 2,861,471 votes were for independence and 224,464 were against, 7.2 percent.

 

The figures also include e-votes cast by the diaspora.

 

Handren Mohammed, the head of the commission, told reporters at the time that the process was “successful” and international observers who witnessed the “historic” vote testified that it was held in a professional manner.

 

He said then the results will be considered final when approved by the Kurdish Court of Appeals.

 

Voter turnout was 72 percent.

 

The Iraqi government has said they do not recognize the results and have asked the Kurdish government to annul the results before any talks would be held over the disputes between the two sides. Erbil has instead called for dialogue on the basis of the vote held last month.