The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has ordered the closure of Chavy Land, a major tourism site in Sulaimani, after its owner, Shaswar Abdulwahid, faced tax evasion charges. The directive came from Kamal Taib Qadir, head of the KRG’s tax department, who issued an official document to the Sulaimani mayor’s office instructing them to shut down the Chavy Tourism Investment Company.
According to the document, the company repeatedly failed to settle legally mandated taxes despite several warnings. Qadir referenced the Tax Administration’s official document number (1294/1/22205), dated July 15, 2025, which specifically named Abdulwahid and his company. Authorities emphasized that the decision followed multiple reminders and outlined the need for immediate enforcement.
Meanwhile, the Sulaimani Court confirmed it has not yet received the tax issue as a formal complaint. A judicial source explained that Abdulwahid currently faces several legal cases, but Iraqi law requires that one case be concluded before another can proceed.
Abdulwahid, leader of the Kurdistan Region’s largest opposition party, was arrested last week by Sulaimani security forces and appeared in court on Thursday. His arrest has triggered widespread political tension in the region. According to a judicial decree dated August 3, he was sentenced in absentia to six months in prison under Article 431 of the Iraqi Penal Code for making serious threats.
However, Abdulwahid’s party, New Generation Movement (NGM), strongly condemned the arrest, calling it an “abduction” carried out without legal notification. NGM accused security forces linked to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of orchestrating the arrest and directly blamed PUK leader Bafel Talabani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani for political interference.
This dispute has heightened tensions between rival political factions in Sulaimani. While the KRG insists the closure order relates strictly to unpaid taxes, NGM claims the action is politically motivated. The coming weeks are expected to bring further developments as courts process Abdulwahid’s cases and authorities move to enforce the shutdown.