Authorities deny arrest of Zaid Al-Talaqani amid Najaf raid and legal charges
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, securityauthorities in Al-Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region (KRI) dismissed reportsclaiming that activist Zaid Al-Talaqani had been arrested in the governorate.
Sarkot Ahmed, spokesperson for Al-SulaymaniyahPolice Directorate, told Shafaq News, “The news circulating about Al-Talaqani'sarrest under a warrant is incorrect.”
In a related statement, a sourcefrom the KRI’s Asayish security forces also confirmed to Shafaq News, “No one namedZaid Al-Talaqani has been detained.”
“No information has surfacedconcerning the alleged arrest.”
On Monday, a special operations unit(SWAT) raided the Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD) in Najaf to arrest its chairman,Zaid Al-Talaqani, confiscating weapons and removing security personnel, butAl-Talaqani was not present during the operation.
Earlier, the Najaf InvestigationCourt issued an arrest warrant for Al-Talaqani, following a complaint fromGhaith Abu Shubaa, deputy head of the Najaf Provincial Council, alleging that hethreatened him after expelling him from the party following his victory in therecent provincial council elections.
The warrant charges Al-Talaqaniunder Article 430 of the amended Iraqi Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, stipulatingthat “anyone who threatens another person with committing a felony againstthemselves, their property, or the property of others, or with defamation, withthe intent to coerce them into doing or refraining from doing something, can bepunished with up to seven years in prison or a lesser sentence.” The samepenalties apply if the threat is anonymous or attributed to a supposed secretgroup.
