Sulaymaniyah court sends Lahur Sheikh Jangi file to Erbil Court of Cassation for review

SULAYMANIYAH – People’s Front leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi appeared before a judge in Sulaymaniyah on Monday, when the court decided to send his case and that of his brother to the Erbil Court of Cassation for review, according to defense and party officials.

Shadman Mullah Hassan, a senior figure in the People’s Front, told 964media that “the case of Lahur Sheikh Jangi and his brother has been sent for review to the Erbil Court of Cassation.” He said it was the first time Sheikh Jangi and his brother, Polad, had been brought before the Sulaymaniyah court since their arrest.

Mullah Hassan said the Sulaymaniyah court ruled that “the case of Lahur Sheikh Jangi and all those arrested in the Lalazar events be transferred for review to the Erbil Court of Cassation.” He said Sheikh Jangi attended the hearing and will remain in Sulaymaniyah, with the court decision limited to sending the file to Erbil for review, while cases involving other detainees will continue in Sulaymaniyah.

Lahur Sheikh Jangi’s trial proper is still expected to be held in Sulaymaniyah.

Burhan Rashid, head of Sheikh Jangi’s legal team, told 964media that the Sulaymaniyah court on Monday also decided to refer the case of 12 detainees arrested in the Lalazar events to the Erbil Court of Cassation for review, while they remain held in Sulaymaniyah.

Rashid said the defendants include Sheikh Jangi, his brother Polad and Rebwar Haji Ghali, whom he described as one of Sheikh Jangi’s commanders. He said only the case filed under Article 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code, linked to complaints by Bafel Talabani and Qubad Talabani, was transferred to Erbil. The case filed under Article 406, he said, remains with the Asayish investigative court pending further proceedings.

Sheikh Jangi was arrested the night of Aug. 22, 2025, after security forces, including counterterrorism, Asayish and commando units, stormed the Lalazar Hotel in Sulaymaniyah following several hours of clashes. The fighting resulted in the deaths of members of the security forces and, according to unconfirmed reports, fighters linked to Sheikh Jangi.

Authorities said the operation followed his refusal to surrender and that an arrest warrant was issued under Article 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code on charges of inciting unrest. Sheikh Jangi, his brother and dozens of civilian and military associates were detained during the operation.

After the arrests, the Kurdistan Region Security Agency in Sulaymaniyah released videos of detainees it claimed confessed to acting on orders from Sheikh Jangi to plan the killing of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan leader Bafel Talabani and seize his Dabashan residence. Human rights bodies criticized the use of heavy weapons and the public broadcast of detainees, calling for legal procedures and judicial oversight.

The Kurdistan Regional Government Presidency later said it had not been informed of the operation before it escalated.

This article has been updated to include comments by Burhan Rashid