Commemorating The One-Year Anniversary Of Doski Azad’s Murder: A Call For Justice And An End To Queerphobic Violence In Iraq
This is a reposted statement originally published on Yeksani on 28 January 2023.
In the wake of Doski’s murder, Yeksani and other human rights organizations have called on the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to investigate the murder and bring the perpetrator to justice. We have also called on these governments to take steps to protect LGBT+ individuals and ensure that they have access to justice and essential services.
However, despite these calls, the KRG and the Iraqi government have failed to take meaningful action to address the ongoing discrimination and violence faced by LGBT+ individuals in the region. Local organizations that provide services to LGBT+ people have also faced intimidation and harassment, with some having their licenses revoked by the government.
On this anniversary of Doski’s murder, Yeksani calls on the KRG, the Iraqi government, and the international community to take urgent action to ensure justice for Doski and all other survivors of queerphobic violence and victims of hate crimes.
We also call on these actors to take steps to protect and support the LGBT+ community in Iraq and Kurdistan, including by ensuring that they have access to essential services and can live their lives free from discrimination and violence.
This call is supported by the following organizations:
IraQueer, 6Rang, LesMigras, Gladt, Keskesor, Pelkezerine, Helem, Article 19, Mawjoudin, AllOut, Queer Maghreb Coalition, ILGA World, and ILGA Asia, and over 25,000 individuals worldwide.
Read the statement below:
Doski Azad, a trans woman of 23 years old, was killed last year in Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, in a horrific and senseless act of violence that draws attention to the persistent prejudice and marginalization experienced by the LGBT+ population in the area. Doski, a make-up artist and internet personality who was open about her transition on social media, was a well-known and respected member of the community. She was brutally murdered on January 28, 2022, by her estranged brother, Chakdar Azad, in a shameful act of "honour" killing.
The fact that Doski's family persisted in trying to locate and intimidate her, even after she had left them five years prior, serves as a distressing reminder of the dangers faced by the LGBT+ community in the region. It is unacceptable that Doski was not only killed for being a trans woman, but also for simply being true to herself and asserting her right to self-expression and autonomy, despite societal and cultural norms that seek to restrict the freedoms of marginalized groups.
As members of the LGBT+ community, representatives of civil society, and the international community, we vehemently condemn this murder, and urge both the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to act swiftly and decisively to bring the killer to justice. We have previously made this request through a petition signed by over 25,000 individuals worldwide.
The murder of Doski Azad is a tragic reminder of the ongoing violence and discrimination faced by LGBT+ individuals in Iraq and Kurdistan. We demand that the KRG, the Iraqi Government, and the international community take action to ensure that justice is served for Doski Azad and all other survivors of queerphobic violence and victims of hate crimes.
Download the statement here.
