A 15-year-old girl in Iraq was murdered by her own family after refusing to marry her cousin, according to a relative who spoke out about the case. Kawthar Bashar al-Husayjawi was shot 10 times and struck with an axe before being buried in a shallow pit. Her family then joined others in dancing in the streets to celebrate her death.
Kawthar had been forced out of school at age 13 to marry an older alcoholic. After a year of abuse, she fled back to her family, who placed her under house arrest and pressured her to return to her husband. She eventually obtained a divorce in court in late 2025.
Soon after, a cousin recently released from prison sought to marry her. Kawthar refused, knowing he was involved in drugs and alcohol. Her family ignored her objections, citing the custom that 'a man's word is not broken by a girl.' In early May, fearing the forced marriage, she fled home with only her clothes and head covering.
A neighbour abducted her for three days, subjecting her to undisclosed horrors. Although surveillance footage appeared to show she was dragged away, her family refused to believe her account. Her father, uncle and fiancé interrogated her before taking her to an isolated area on the outskirts of Baghdad, where they killed her.
The relative said she tried to remain calm, hoping police would intervene, but an officer allegedly asked for a bribe to claim she had been kidnapped. The men moved her body multiple times to avoid detection. The relative and other women in the family began sending Kawthar's name and photo to media outlets, seeking justice and a dignified burial.
The relative expressed fear that the case would be buried like hundreds of others, and that a lawyer might take the case while her brother turns himself in as the sole perpetrator to close it as an 'honour' killing. Iraqi law does not explicitly mention honour killings, but such cases often go unpunished.
