PUK says it reclaimed cultural center amid raid controversy
Shafaq News/ The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s (PUK) financial institution announced on Thursday it had regained control of the "Jawder" Center, which will now support civil and organizational activities, following a raid on the facility that sparked criticism from opposition figures.
The financial body stated that the center, which was formerly owned and funded by the PUK, had been reclaimed after it was removed from the party’s direct control. “The Jawder Center will be repurposed to serve institutional and civil initiatives aimed at benefiting the people of Sulaymaniyah,” the institution said in a statement. It added that the facility would be allocated to a new institution supporting public interest and regional development.
Earlier on Thursday, a commando force reportedly raided the Jawder Enlightenment Foundation, which had been operating the facility, and seized control of the building’s assets. The raid also targeted the Cultural Radiance center in the Galawizh neighborhood of al-Sulaymaniyah, according to the foundation.
Kurdish politician Mulla Bakhtiar, a former PUK official, condemned the move in a video message, accusing the PUK of launching a crackdown on freedoms.
“I warn all the people of Kurdistan that any action against the Jawder Foundation or my house in Khanaqin is a clear violation of freedom and a betrayal of Kurdish political history,” Bakhtiar said, urging the party to avoid actions that could destabilize the region.
The PUK, however, defended the move as a necessary step to regain control over assets that had previously belonged to the party. The institution emphasized that the center’s new role would focus on promoting civil activities, benefiting the local community.
Bakhtiar, a former member of the PUK’s Political Council, has been a vocal critic of the current PUK leadership. He warned that the party’s recent actions could lead to a “frightening scenario” and called for resolving internal disputes within the party.
