Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Independent Human Rights Commission of the Kurdistan Region expressed grave concern after a security force raided the "Jawder" Cultural Foundation in Al-Sulaymaniyah and confiscated its contents.

In a statement, the Commission said, "According to information announced on Thursday evening by politician Mala Bakhtiar, a security force stormed the office of the Jawder Cultural Foundation and seized its property and contents, justifying the raid as being based on a search warrant from an unnamed authority."

The Commission condemned the incident, stating that "the use of force and seizure of private property from a cultural institution constitutes an overreach of legal and civil procedures and does not align with regulations safeguarding freedom of expression and cultural work."

The Commission further stressed that "such actions represent a violation of the principles of intellectual and cultural freedom," calling for resolving the issue through legal means without infringing upon the rights of individuals and institutions involved.

It also emphasized the importance of respecting legal processes and ensuring that similar actions are carried out under judicial oversight and following the law.

On Thursday evening, the Jawder Foundation reported that its headquarters, along with the office of independent Kurdish politician Mala Bakhtiar, had been raided by a commando unit. The foundation stated that the raid targeted its premises and the "Ishra'a" cultural center in Glawej, located in Al-Muhandisin's neighborhood of Al-Sulaymaniyah.

According to the statement, the attacking force managed to seize all the contents of the premises after forcing the institution's guards to withdraw.

The Jawder Foundation strongly condemned the raid, describing it as a severe threat to freedom of expression, writing, and thought. The institution called the incident a "worrying step" that endangers fundamental freedoms in society.

Mala Bakhtiar, a former senior political council member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), also weighed in, stating that the confiscation of the Jawder Foundation was "a major threat" and warning that the developments were leading towards "a frightening scenario."

Bakhtiar accused the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of the crackdown on dissent, warning the PUK leadership of pushing the party toward chaos.

The PUK, however, defended the move as a necessary step to regain control over assets that had previously belonged to the party.