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In this issue, I focus on the very tragic news of the murder of Iraq's YouTube star Tiba al-Ali and how the legal system in Iraq is failing its women right now. I also highlight the outcome of the trial of the murder of Yehry Rivera. Rivera was an Indigenous land defender who was killed in Costa Rica in 2020 while fighting for a piece of land that was legally his. His murderer is now going to jail for more than 20 years. However, here too, the law is failing a significant part of the country's population. Plus, good news from Somalia (they're making progress against al-Shabab!), more than 14,000 people in Nigeria are sueing Shell, a podcast episode on the Armenian genocide and what it means for families today and a fantasy webtoon inspired by a Korean boy band that gets 100 million more views than any school book upon release, and so much more.

A father killed his own daughter, a famous YouTuber in Iraq

On January 31, a famous YouTuber was killed by her father in the southern province of Diwaniya in Iraq. Her name was Tiba al-Ali. The whole country is talking about it.

Why this matters:
There is currently no law against domestic violence in Iraq.

Tell me more:
Tiba al-Ali lived alone in Turkey. Right now, it looks like she got into a fight with her dad when she was visiting Iraq the last time. Apparently, he wasn't too happy about her decision to live on her own in a foreign country. Police and relatives had tried to "resolve the family dispute in a definitive manner", interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan said on Twitter on Friday. But... no luck.

Who was Tiba al-Ali?
Al-Ali became popular on YouTube by posting videos of her daily life. One day, in 2017, while on a trip with her family to Turkey, she decided that she wanted to stay there after they returned, according to a police source. Rights activist Hanaa Edwar and the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights claim that Al-Ali was sexually assaulted by her brother, according to voice recordings. The authenticity of the recordings has not been confirmed (yet).

Why is domestic violence still not illegal in Iraq?
There was an almost-law in 2014. Too many politicians were against it; and still are. Last year, the government and the World Health Organization announced that they are working on a new strategy to fight gender-based violence in the country. To be continued.

Did you know:
In Iraq, according to WHO, it is estimated that over 75% of people at risk of violence are women and girls, and 77% of incidents are related to domestic violence? (World Health Organization)

What now?
Now, the conversation about Al-Ali's death has caused outrage and calls for protests, with many calling for better legal protection for women. Security forces stopped a demonstration outside the Supreme Judicial Council in Baghdad on Sunday, but the activists gathered nearby. They held signs saying "Stop killing women" and demanded laws to protect women, particularly against domestic violence. Politician Ala Talabani on Twitter pointed out that the lack of laws and government action makes women vulnerable to backward customs. (Al Jazeera)

What is the reaction of the international community?
Amnesty International called the murder "horrific" and criticized the Iraqi penal code for lenient treatment of "honor crimes". The organization stated that without stronger legislation to protect women, such murders will continue. The UN in Iraq, too, condemned Al-Ali's killing and called for a law criminalizing gender-based violence. (Al Jazeera)

Are there any feminist organization platforms in Iraq?
Of course. Among others, you have the Iraqi Women's Rights Organization, the Women's Freedom in Iraq Organization, and the "She is Revolution" platform. You can find and follow them on Instagram, @owfi.Iraq, @iraqi_women_rights, @she_wrevolution.

This is not related to this news story but it is related to Iraq. Speda Hazim, a Kurdish filmmaker from Iraqi Kurdistan, made a mini-documentary on the life of someone who lives in the Iraqi Marshes, one of the most famous swamps in the world. Check it out here. She's also produced "[This Exorcist Is a Social Media Star...