Security forces detain teachers, politicians, journalists ahead of planned protest in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH — Security forces in Sulaymaniyah blocked a planned protest on Thursday over unpaid public sector salaries, detaining dozens of participants, including teachers, political figures, and journalists. Several of those detained were released later in the day, while others remain in custody.

Demonstrators had planned to rally in central Sulaymaniyah to protest delayed May salaries, which have gone unpaid for over 55 days. Security forces deployed heavily across the city in advance of the gathering and moved quickly to disperse attempted demonstrations, making numerous arrests.

Among those detained were prominent political figures, including Ali Hama Salih, head of the Halwest bloc in the Kurdistan Parliament; former MP Omer Gulpi; and former Iraqi MPs Rebwar Karim and Ghalib Mohammed. More than 20 additional protest organizers and civil society activists were also taken into custody.

By the afternoon, several high-profile detainees had been released. Hama Salih and Rebwar Karim posted identical messages on Facebook following their release: “Thank you for your support. We and our friends have now been released. We remain committed to defending public rights.”

Omer Gulpi also confirmed his release but said others remained detained, including his brother. “They continue to be held outside the bounds of law and justice,” he wrote.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was monitoring the situation. “CPJ urges Iraqi Kurdish authorities to release all detained journalists and to ensure the press can operate freely,” the group said in a post on X.

Journalists who had been arrested while covering the protest were also expected to be released shortly. Karwan Anwar, head of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate in Sulaymaniyah, told PUK-affiliated media that the journalists were at the Asayish headquarters and would be released after “having lunch” there. He later told Westga News that authorities had assured him none would remain in custody until Sunday.

Seven media teams were initially detained, including crews from Zoom TV, Payam TV, Speda TV, Diplomatic Magazine, Moral Web TV, and IMK Media. Other outlets were blocked from reporting on the protest.

The crackdown follows the earlier arrest of two teachers involved in organizing the protest. Dilshad Mirani and Osman Gulpi were detained late Tuesday night in separate incidents. As of Thursday evening, Osman Gulpi remained in custody, according to his brother.

Security officials said the protest posed safety risks. “The timing and location were not appropriate for public safety,” Asayish spokesperson Salam Abdulkhaleq said on Wednesday. The Sulaymaniyah governorate’s security committee had also issued a statement earlier in the week discouraging protests due to regional instability.

Authorities cited concerns over unrest following the recent Iran-Israel conflict and warned that demonstrations could escalate, particularly in sensitive areas like Sulaymaniyah, which borders Iran.

This article has been updated