Shaswar Abdulwahid

Shaswar founded the Nalia Media Corporation conglomerate, one of the biggest media organisations in Kurdish Iraq,^[3] which operates NRT News, several television stations, "real estate" and a theme park.^[4][5]

Abdulwahid entered politics in 2017, during the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum. Shaswar launched a "No for now".^[6][7] He called the referendum as "an excuse by Kurdish leaders to remain in power".^[8]

Abdulwahid was elected president of the newly established New Generation Movement at its first congress.^[9] New Generation secured eight seats in the 2018 Kurdistan parliamentary election,^[10] and won four seats in the 2018 Iraqi parliamentary election.^[11] Abdulwahid said that "there should be an opposition in parliament", and did not plan to join a governing coalition.^[12]

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.^[13] Abdulwahid had been previously arrested in 2017.^[14]

On 12 August 2025, Iraqi News Agency reported that Abdulwahid had been arrested in Sulaymaniyah. According to his sister, Sarwa, “a group affiliated with Bafel Talabani and Qubad Talabani, and in coordination with Masrur Barzani, kidnapped Abdulwahid without announcing his place of detention”.^[15]

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".^[16][17][18]