Third hearing in Lahur Sheikh Jangi trial postponed until June

SULAYMANIYAH — The third session in the trial of People’s Front leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi, his brother Polad and 10 other defendants in the Lalazar case has been postponed to June 3, defense lawyer Dana Taqiaddin told 964media.

The first session was held on May 7 and the second on May 14, both of which were adjourned — the first due in part to the absence of complainants and the large volume of documents in the case, and the second after reviewing files and hearing one witness.

PUK President Bafel Talabani and his brother Qubad Talabani are listed as complainants, accusing Sheikh Jangi of attempted murder and creating unrest. The case stems from Aug. 22, 2025, when security forces surrounded the Lalazar area in Sulaymaniyah where Sheikh Jangi and associates were staying. After he refused to surrender, forces stormed the location following hours of clashes that killed at least five people and wounded more than 20.

Sheikh Jangi appeared before a judge for the first time on Jan. 12, when the court referred his case to the Erbil Court of Cassation for review — a transfer his lawyer says has still not been completed despite nine formal requests. He was removed from the PUK in 2021 and later founded the People’s Front, which won two seats in the 2024 Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections.