Kurdistan auctions opposition figure’s assets

Shafaq News – Erbil

Authorities in the Kurdistan Region will auction roughly $70M worth of properties tied to companies owned by opposition leader Shaswar Abdulwahid to settle long-standing debts.

Earlier today, an al-Sulaymaniyah court sentenced Abdulwahid, head of the New Generation Movement (Al-Jeel Al-Jadeed / NGM), to five months in prison in a separate case. He was arrested on August 12 at the German Village complex and has faced repeated legal troubles over the past years.

In a statement, the Finance Ministry confirmed that the seizure and sale of about 60 properties followed court rulings dating back to 2021 against the companies Nalia and Javi. "The debts are tied to the firms as legal entities rather than their owner."

The loans, issued in 2010–2011 and due within two years, were never repaid despite "multiple notices." Collateral later offered was rejected for legal violations, leaving auction as the only enforcement route.

Abdulwahid, whose party holds 15 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament, has also faced investor accusations over mismanaged funds in the Cave Land tourism project.