{
  "id": 14480828,
  "title": "Families seek justice as trial of English Channel tragedy mastermind opens in Erbil",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/families-seek-justice-as-trial-of-english-channel-tragedy-mastermind",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-14T15:22:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/14/families-seek-justice-as-trial-of-english-channel-tragedy-mastermind-opens-in-erbil/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A trial has commenced in Erbil involving an alleged Iraqi-Kurdish people smuggler named Bashdar, who is accused of involvement in the deadly 2021 English Channel disaster. Bashdar, whose real name is Hajar Mina Abdullah, is alleged to have played a role in the smuggling operation responsible for the November 2021 crossing, during which 31 people perished while attempting to reach Britain from France. He appeared in the courtroom wearing a beige shirt, a yellow vest marked \"Erbil Police\" on the back, and walked confidently, despite being led in handcuffs by police officers. The case follows a separate investigation in France, where 14 men were convicted in September for their roles in organizing the fatal crossing. The 2021 disaster remains the deadliest migrant shipwreck in the English Channel, with the majority of victims being Iraqi Kurds. In 2026, an independent public inquiry, the Cranston Inquiry, concluded that some of the deaths were preventable, citing failures in the response by British and French authorities. Bashdar was arrested in Iraq in October 2022, and the trial is part of a broader effort to pursue those responsible for the dangerous Channel crossings. The Kurdistan region, UK, and France have collaborated on efforts to tackle the smuggling networks behind the English Channel crossings. Bashdar's case is particularly significant as it brings the proceedings back to the Kurdistan region, where many of the victims and their families originated. Zana Mamand Mohammed, whose brother Twana died in the disaster and whose body was never found, has been leading the families' pursuit of justice. The trial marks another step in the legal process that began almost five years ago, and the families remain deeply affected by the ongoing proceedings.",
  "summary": "The trial has begun in Erbil of an alleged Iraqi-Kurdish people smuggler accused of involvement in the 2021 English Channel disaster, in a case linked to investigations and prosecutions in France and the UK. Bashdar, whose real name is Hajar Mina Abdullah, is accused of playing a role in the smuggling operation behind the November 2021 crossing, during which 31 people died attempting to reach…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Families seek justice as trial of English Channel tragedy mastermind opens in Erbil",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/families-seek-justice-as-trial-of-english-channel-tragedy-mastermind-14483792",
        "published": "2026-10-14T15:22:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}