A 22-year-old YouTube star has been strangled to death by her father in an apparent 'honour killing' in Iraq after she decided to leave the country for Turkey. Tiba al-Ali was killed on January 31 in the southern province of Diwaniya, according to interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan.
Ali had fled Iraq in 2017 to start a new life in Turkey and planned to marry her Syrian-born boyfriend. However, when she returned to Iraq in January to support her country's football team in the Arabian Gulf Cup, her family kidnapped her. Police had attempted to mediate between Ali and her relatives but were unable to resolve the dispute.
Local media reported that Ali was drugged and taken to the family home in Al-Qadisiyyah Governorate. After a heated argument with her father, she was strangled while she slept. Her father later turned himself in to police, claiming he killed her to 'wash away the shame'.
Ali had gained a following on YouTube, where she posted videos of her daily life, often featuring her fiance. Her death has sparked outrage on social media, with calls for protests in Baghdad to demand justice. Amnesty International condemned the killing, highlighting that the Iraqi penal code treats 'honour crimes' leniently.
Under Iraqi law, Article 409 allows for lenient sentences for 'honour killings' on grounds of provocation or 'honourable motives', leaving scope for wide interpretation. Police are investigating the father for murder, but he could potentially escape jail under these provisions.
