Shafaq News / Omar Kolbi, a member of the Kurdistan Parliament, has accused a women's organization in al-Sulaymaniyah of "promoting homosexuality," claiming that a judicial ruling has been issued to shut it down. However, the organization denies any connection to the allegations made by the parliament member.

In a statement to Shafaq News Agency, Kolbi stated, "Through monitoring the work of the Rasan organization between 2017 and 2022, it became evident that they engage in activities that defy social norms, traditions, and public morality. Upon discovering this, we submitted a request to the Department of Non-Governmental Organizations to determine the specialization of the organization."

He added, "The organization obtained a license to work in women's affairs, but after examining their work and visiting them, it became clear that they promote homosexuality through their activities."

Kolbi continued, "After reviewing the details of the organization's work, I filed a complaint with the Department of Government Organizations and the Public Prosecutor's Office in al-Sulaymaniyah. Al-Sulaymaniyah court issued a decision to revoke Rasan organization's license on May 31st of last year."

Tania Kamal Darwish, the director of Rasan organization, refuted these claims in a statement to Shafaq News Agency, affirming that "what the parliament member has circulated regarding the reasons for closing the organization is incorrect. The court's decision was related to the organization's logo, and the parliament member's complaint was about the colors of the logo, not the organization's scope of work."

She considered the complaint to be a form of political posturing and promotion rather than a religious concern, stating, "We are also Muslims and we preserve our religious identity. Religion has no relevance to this matter. However, the court took the parliament member's words into account because he belongs to a political entity."

Darwish emphasized that "since its establishment in 2004, Rasan organization has been serving women and society, rescuing many women from various hardships. All allegations made about the organization's work are baseless. We have lodged an appeal against the court's decision and will adhere to the legal frameworks in our defense."

Rasan is a non-governmental organization dedicated to human rights, founded in al-Sulaymaniyah in 2004. For nearly two decades, the organization has focused on community and women's rights, managing projects aimed at promoting social cohesion through art, social awareness, focus groups, livelihood projects, seminars, workshops, training courses, and action plans. The organization engages community leaders from various sectors in community forums on gender identity, equality, and peaceful coexistence.