Shaswar Abdulwahid (; born 2 December 1978) is an

Iraqi Kurdish Iraqi Kurdistan or Southern Kurdistan () refers to the Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq. It is considered one of the four parts of Greater Kurdistan in West Asia, which also includes parts of southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdistan), no ...

businessman and politician, leader of

New Generation Movement The New Generation Movement () is a liberal political party in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, founded by Şaswar Abdulwehîd in 2017. The party was established to contest the 2018 general election. The movement positions itself as an alternati ...

and the founder of NRT media.

Business

Shaswar founded the Nalia Media Corporation conglomerate, one of the biggest media organisations in Kurdish Iraq, which operates

NRT News Nalia Radio and Television (NRT) is a media network in the Kurdistan Region Kurdistan Region (KRI) is a semi-autonomous Federal regions of Iraq, federal region of the Iraq, Republic of Iraq. It comprises four Kurds, Kurdish-majority governor ...

, several television stations, "real estate" and a theme park.

Kurdistan referendum 2017

Abdulwahid entered politics in 2017, during the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum. Shaswar launched a "No for now". He called the referendum as "an excuse by Kurdish leaders to remain in power".

New Generation Movement

Abdulwahid was elected president of the newly established New Generation Movement at its first congress. New Generation secured eight seats in the 2018 Kurdistan parliamentary election, and won four seats in the

2018 Iraqi parliamentary election Parliamentary elections were held in Iraq on 12 May 2018. The elections decided the 329 members of the Council of Representatives, the country's unicameral legislature, who in turn will elect the Iraqi president and prime minister. The Iraqi pa ...

. Abdulwahid said that "there should be an opposition in parliament", and did not plan to join a governing coalition.

Arrest

Abdulwahid appeared in court in Sulaimani on 3 March 2019 and arrested after being summoned on charges related to Articles 229 and 434 of the Iraqi penal code. Abdulwahid had been previously arrested in 2017.

Assassination attempt

Abdulwahid survived an assassination attempt but was injured in his leg in October 2013 before entering political life. At that time, Abdulwahid said, "I am not a politician or a famous figure in politics in Kurdistan region of Iraq. I have no private connections with any politicians or political parties, the only reason that they wanted to kill me is my ownership of NRT TV, as we have been facing many other terrible events in the past three years".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdulwahid, Shaswar Iraqi Kurdish people 1978 births University of Sulaymaniyah alumni Living people