56 days without news of Cihad Hesen, still in the hands of the South Kurdistan authorities

The Autonomous Administration Hewler representative, Cihad Hesen, has not yet been released and the authorities have given no news about him for 56 days.

PYD members Mistefa Osman Xelil and Mistefa Eziz Mistê, who were detained by KDP forces on 10 June together with the Autonomous Administration Hewler representative, Cihad Hesen, have been released on 29 July. However, Hesen remained in the hands of the South Kurdish authorities.

KDP officials have made no statement about why the diplomats had been arrested in the first place, and are giving no information about the ongoing detention of Cihad Hesen.

After 50 days, PYD members Mistefa Osman Xelîl and Mistefa Eziz Mistê were released, apparently without being brought to court, as the accusations against them could not be proven.

Autonomous Administration representatives in South Kurdistan are trying to find out why Cihad Hesen has not been released, but so far have learned nothing.