Iraqis are protesting against domestic abuse regulations only days after a YouTuber was strangled to death by her father in an outraging event.
According to Interior Ministry spokesperson Saad Maan, Tiba al-Ali, 22, was killed by her father on January 31 in the southern province of Diwaniyah.
He stated that an attempt had been made to mediate between the young woman and her family in order to resolve a “family conflict.”
Later, the father surrendered and admitted to murdering his daughter.
On Sunday, dozens of protesters attempted to gather outside the country’s Supreme Judicial Council. Still, they were blocked by security forces, forcing them to collect on the road leading up to the tower.
Some protesters held placards reading, “Stop murdering women” and “Tiba’s killer must be brought to justice.”
“We demand laws to protect women, especially laws against domestic violence,” protester Rose Hamid, 22, said. “We came here to protest against Tiba’s murder and against all others. Who will be the next victim?”
Another Protestor Lina Said:
“We will keep mobilising because of rising domestic violence and killings of women.”
Protester Israa al-Salman stated:
“Anyone who wants to get rid of a woman accuses her of disgracing her dignity and kills her.”
There is currently no law in Iraq that criminalises domestic abuse.
A draught domestic abuse bill was originally proposed to parliament in 2014, but development has stopped amid strong political opposition from politicians who feel it will “erode Iraq’s social fabric”.
#طيبة_العلي Dozens of women organized a protest this morning in front of the Supreme Judicial Council against laws that offend women and honor killings. pic.twitter.com/Ac4l2vtCbP
— Ali Al-Mikdam علي المگدام (@ali_almikdam) February 5, 2023
Activist Hanaa Edwar
On the sidelines of Sunday’s rally, human rights activist Hanaa Edwar was met by a Supreme Judicial Council magistrate, to whom she communicated the protesters’ concerns.
Tiba al-Ali had been living in Turkey since 2017 and was visiting Iraq when she was slain, according to a security officer in Diwaniyah.
In Turkey, she had amassed a YouTube following by streaming films of her daily life, in which her fiancé frequently featured.
Recordings allegedly of discussions with Ali’s father, who was unhappy because his daughter was living in Turkey, were published on social media by a friend of Ali and picked up by activists.
She also accuses her brother of sexual harassment in the tapes.
The validity of the voice recordings could not be independently verified by AFP.
Watch Now
Pavan Manzoor is an experienced content writer , editor and social media handler along with a track record of youth-oriented activities in Pakistan and abroad. She was selected as a fully-funded delegate as a leadership fellow in Turkey. She also led a team of 5 volunteers at the week-long Young Professionals Fellowship in Maldives. She is also a member of the Youth Standing Committee on Higher Education.
