Slemani — The death of a detained Zeravani Peshmerga member has become the latest flashpoint in the political rivalry between the Kurdistan Region’s two dominant parties, with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) seizing on the incident to launch a broader political attack on authorities in Erbil despite police findings that the detainee died by suicide.
The Erbil Governorate Police Directorate announced that Aso Majid Qadir, a Peshmerga serving in the Zeravani forces’ guard unit, ended his own life while in custody on June 5.
According to the police statement, Qadir had been arrested on April 2 under an arrest warrant issued pursuant to Article 1 of Law No. 21 of 2003. Authorities said investigations conducted by the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, the Anti-Crime Police Department, and forensic medical experts concluded that the detainee committed suicide.
“The verified evidence confirms that the individual committed suicide,” the statement said.
Despite the official findings, the PUK Political Bureau quickly challenged the circumstances surrounding the death, describing Qadir, known as Haji Aso, as a victim of a “suspicious incident” and an “unjust martyr.”
The party called for international intervention and demanded an independent investigation, arguing that the death of a Peshmerga inside prison raises serious concerns that require external scrutiny.
The PUK’s statement went beyond questions surrounding the circumstances of the death and framed the case within a broader political narrative about the treatment of Peshmerga members. The party argued that those who served the Kurdistan Region should not face imprisonment and die in custody, portraying the incident as symbolic of wider grievances.
Critics, however, argue that the PUK’s response reflects a pattern in which legal and judicial cases are rapidly transformed into political disputes. They note that while police authorities presented forensic findings supporting a conclusion of suicide, the party immediately elevated the incident into a high-profile political issue and appealed for international involvement before any independent review had been conducted.
The case has also drawn attention because the deceased was a Peshmerga member, allowing the PUK to frame the issue around the status and sacrifices of the Kurdish security forces rather than focusing solely on the specific legal circumstances of the case.
Media outlets affiliated with the PUK argue that calls for accountability in cases involving deaths in custody are legitimate and necessary. Critics, however, contend that the party’s response is part of a broader effort to gain political advantage over KDP-led authorities and reinforce longstanding narratives of political victimization.
The incident comes amid continuing tensions between the Kurdistan Region’s major political forces, where security incidents, judicial proceedings, and detention cases frequently become subjects of political contestation.
For now, the only official conclusion remains that of Erbil police, who maintain that forensic evidence indicates Qadir died by suicide. Whether further investigations are conducted may determine whether the case remains a legal matter or develops into a larger political controversy.
