Kurdistan Region Security Agency defends detentions during Sulaymaniyah salary protest

SULAYMANIYAH — The Kurdistan Region Security Agency, which oversees Sulaymaniyah and Halabja governorates, issued a statement Thursday defending its actions during a public sector salary protest earlier this week, saying the detentions were necessary to prevent disruption and maintain public safety.

“Sulaymaniyah has always been a center of free expression, peaceful protest, and political activity,” the statement said. “And we take pride in the fact that our security forces have never obstructed peaceful demonstrations or targeted those expressing dissent.”

The remarks follow the arrest of dozens of individuals, including teachers, journalists, and political figures, during a planned demonstration on Tuesday over unpaid salaries for the month of May. Salaries have been delayed for more than 55 days, prompting frustration among civil servants across the region. Security forces were deployed throughout central Sulaymaniyah in anticipation of the protest and made arrests as small groups began to gather.

Among those detained were sitting and former lawmakers, including Ali Hama Salih, Rebwar Karim, and Omer Gulpi, as well as media personnel from multiple outlets. While some were released the same day, others, including teacher Osman Gulpi, remained in custody as of Thursday evening.

In its statement, the agency said it had uncovered a “coordinated plan” to use the protest as cover for efforts to destabilize the city. “Certain parties attempted to exploit the rightful demands of teachers and public servants as a pretext to undermine stability and insert political agendas into the demonstrations,” the agency said.

The agency denied targeting protest leaders, describing the detentions as preventive rather than punitive. “We had no intention of targeting protest organizers,” the statement said. “Our goal was to prevent harm and ensure no one became a victim of escalation.”

It also acknowledged that members of the security forces have been affected by the ongoing salary crisis. “Members of the security forces, like other civil servants, have not received their salaries,” the agency said. “We too stand with those raising their voices over this issue.”