Second court session for Lahur Sheikh Jangi postponed again

SULAYMANIYAH — A second court session for People’s Front leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi, his brother Polad and 10 other defendants in the Lalazar case at the Sulaymaniyah Court was postponed Thursday without a new date set, defense lawyer Dana Taqiaddin told 964media.

Taqiaddin said the session involved reviewing files and hearing testimony from one witness before the judge adjourned without scheduling a third hearing. The first session was held on May 7 before also being postponed, delayed in part by the absence of complainants and the large volume of documents in the case.

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 August 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 January 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.

Sheikh Jangi 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.