CAIRO (Sputnik) – An Iraqi court on Wednesday ruled to arrest those behind an independent commission for holding a referendum on the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan.
"The investigation court ruled to arrest the head and members of the commission engaged in organizing the referendum in Kurdistan," a court spokesman said in a statement.
In June, Iraqi Kurdistan authorities decided to hold a referendum on independence.
The referendum took place in the autonomous region, as well as in a number of areas controlled by the Iraqi authorities. According to the Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission, 92.7 percent of voters supported the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan from Baghdad. The independence vote was widely criticized, not only by Iraq, but also by Turkey, Iran and the United States.
The UN Security Council has expressed its concern, saying that the referendum might destabilize the already-tenuous situation in Iraq.
