Iraq: A 22-year-old YouTube influencer, Tiba al-Ali was fatally shot by her father in Iraq's Diwaniya province. The horrifying incident took place on Jan 31, confirmed Interior Ministry spokesperson Saad Maan on Twitter.
According to Saad Maan, Ali was reportedly murdered by her father due to his discontent over her decision to live independently in Turkey. She visited the country in 2017 with her family and decided to stay there alone rather than going back with them.
As a result, there was a dispute between her and her father for several years. Police also attempted to mediate the family dispute between Tiba al-Ali and her relatives to find a permanent solution.
Maan stated that the police were taken aback by the news of her death, as her father admitted to the crime during initial interrogations. No further information was provided about the specific nature of the dispute.
Protests called out in country demanding justice for Ali
Ali had a growing fanbase on YouTube where she shared videos of her daily life. Her death has caused outrage among Iraqis on social media, leading to calls for protests in Baghdad on Sunday to demand justice for her killing.
Veteran politician speaks on crimes against women
“Women in our societies are hostage to backward customs due to the absence of legal deterrents and government measures – which currently are not commensurate with the size of domestic violence crimes,” wrote veteran politician Ala Talabani on Twitter.
Human rights activist Hanaa Edwar told AFP that, according to voice recordings attributed to Ali, “she left her family because she was sexually assaulted by her brother”.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights also reported the allegation. AFP could not independently verify the authenticity of the voice recordings.
Amnesty International condemned the act of honour killing
Amnesty International condemned the “horrific” killing, saying “the Iraqi penal code still treats leniently so-called ‘honour crimes’ comprising violent acts such as assault and even murder”.
“Until the Iraqi authorities adopt robust legislation to protect women and girls, we will inevitably continue to witness horrific murders,” Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Aya Majzoub, was quoted as saying by the Guardian.
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