Kurdish transgender woman shot by brother had been hiding from family
Rasha Younes, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the murder signalled the “climate of impunity” afforded to perpetrators of anti-LGBTQ+ violence, empowered under Iraq’s penal code to cause harm under the pretext of “honour”.
“This has a chilling effect on LGBT Iraqis, for whom the law does not offer protection, rendering any ‘suspicion’ of homosexuality or gender variance a cause for potential violence, which not only results in the death of LGBT people but makes their lives unliveable,” she said.
Kurdish activist Amed Sherwan said most hate crimes were not reported.
“It is very tragic that someone must pay such a price for being herself. It makes me very sad,” he said.
The US, French and German consulates in Erbil condemned the murder on Twitter, as did the UN assistance mission for Iraq and the Canadian mission to Iraq.
The Kurdistan regional government did not respond to a Guardian request for comment.
