On Dec. 15, Star Forum, a female organization affiliated with the Movement for a Democratic Society, staged a protest in Hasakah, in northeastern Syria, condemning the murder of Maryam Mohammad Ali by her brother-in-law. The circumstances of the crime have not been revealed and investigations are ongoing, but the story circulating is that 25-year-old Maryam, a mother of two, had approached Asayish, the security forces of the Kurdish self-rule administration in northern Syria, to lodge a complaint of sexual assault by her brother-in-law and father-in-law. Her brother-in-law was furious, and the two clashed. He shot her twice, in the head and right shoulder.

Women’s organizations have been working in northern Syria, specifically in al-Jazira province, for more than six years, but the event in December was the first time a women’s organization had publicly demonstrated against the area's social norms. The objective behind establishing the Star Forum was to help women break free from societal restraints, according to Walida Bouti, the Star Forum's director.

“The protest, in which dozens of men, women and children participated, was organized against the patriarchal thinking that legalizes killing women under the pretext of honor, regardless of sect, religion or race,” Bouti told Al-Monitor. “The main goal behind this step is to protect women’s rights, curb ignorance and eliminate the idea that women are inferior [to men]. We want to show society that no matter what the offending action, we strongly condemn murdering women.” 

Najah Amine, a member of Sara, a Qamishli-based nongovernmental organization working to fight violence against women, told Al-Monitor that around the time of Mohammad Ali’s murder, a man from Amuda had burned his wife alive. No other information was available. Sara, a social and civil organization, has been actively documenting violence against women for the past four years as well as challenging all forms of discrimination against them.