Honor killings in Iraq rekindle efforts to criminalize domestic violence
There is once again outrage and calls for legal reforms in Iraq to protect women from being murdered at the hands of family members.
BAGHDAD — A number of high-profile cases of women and girls killed by family members across Iraq in recent months are attracting attention once again, leading to a resurgence of calls for Iraq to enact laws against domestic violence.
Last month, the case of a young woman in a “family dispute” in which the community police had been asked to mediate ended badly when a 22-year-old Youtuber was killed by her father. He has reportedly admitted to strangling her in her sleep.
An outcry on social media followed, with many calling for the case to be treated as premeditated murder and not as a so-called honor crime.
“Iraq has failed to criminalize domestic violence despite an increase in reporting of incidents of domestic violence by national NGOs. Shockingly, the Iraqi penal code still treats leniently so-called 'honor crimes’ comprising violent acts such as assault and even murder. There is also no effective system in place for reporting domestic violence nor adequate shelters to protect women and girls,” Amnesty International noted earlier this month.
