SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Public figures and activists threatened to protest in the Kurdistan Region’s area of Balakayati against the detention of several youths last week.
A number of public figures and activists said in a statement on Saturday that a group of youths had been detained by Asayish (security) forces in Qasre district, 144 kilometers northeast of Erbil, in the past few days.
“All the detainees including journalist and civil activist Zosik Balak are held at the prison of general directorate of Asayish in Soran district,” the statement read.
“We will wait for their release until 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 13, 2020. In contrast, we will start civil activities and make all pressures to release our youths.”
The arrests came after hundreds of people took to the streets in cities and towns in the provinces of Sulaimani and Halabja as well as the administrations of Raparin and Garmian last week in protest of delays in payment.
Nearly 10 people including protesters and members of the security forces were killed and more than 100 others were wounded during the protests. Angry demonstrators set fire to Headquarters of several political parties and government offices.
