A 23-year-old transgender woman in Iraq was allegedly killed by her estranged brother in an ‘honour killing’ last month.
Content warning: This story may include topics that could make some readers feel uncomfortable.
Doski Azad died on 28 January near the city of Duhok after being shot a day or two before her body was discovered on 1 February, police in the region confirmed.
Her friends told Insider that they grew suspicious when Doski didn’t show up to something they had planned, which was strange given that she was always a very reliable person.
“I found out Doski was brutally murdered,” one told the outlet.
Authorities reportedly became aware of Doski’s location after a relative tipped them off, Kurdish outlet Rudaw stated.
It also reported that the same person claimed Doski had been killed by her brother, Chakdar, who had allegedly travelled the region with the intention of killing his sibling.
Hemin Suleiman, a spokesman for the Duhok police, told VOA that the victim was killed by a handgun and that Chakdar is the only suspect at this time.
“Our investigation so far suggests that Doski Azad was killed by her brother at a location just outside the city before he managed to flee the crime scene,” he added.
He also confirmed that an arrest warrant had been issued for Doski’s brother, who is believed to have been living in western Europe for several years.
Doski’s death was reportedly an “honour killing,” which is defined by Britannica as “the murder of a woman or girl by male family members. The killers justify their actions by claiming that the victim has brought dishonour upon the family name or prestige.”
In this case, the “dishonour” is believed to be that Doski lived as an openly trans woman.
Hayfa Doski, a women’s rights activist in Duhok, told VOA that the killing has left minorities in Iraq terrified.
“But transgender people, in particular, have been gravely concerned about this killing,” she said. “They already feel discriminated against in our society and attacks like this only exacerbate those fears.”
On 3 February, the U.S. Consulate General Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, condemned what reportedly happened to Doski.
“We categorically condemn this violence and the discrimination that is undoubtedly at the root of this crime,” its statement said. “We ask the authorities to thoroughly investigate this murder and prosecute the perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law.”
Doski’s friends said she worked as a makeup artist and just wanted to live a peaceful and normal life.
She had reportedly told IraQueer, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the country, that she was being harassed by her family several times.
Since news of her death broke, the #JusticeForDoskiAzad hashtag has been circulating on social media as people call on authorities to find the person responsible for Doski’s death.
— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USConGenErbil) February 3, 2022
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