Iraqi authorities are investigating the killing of a social media influencer, Ghufran Mahdi Sawadi, known as “Um Fahad,” who was shot in front of her home in central Baghdad. Sawadi was popular on TikTok and Instagram, where she posted dance videos and had tens of thousands of followers. This incident took place in the Zayoona neighborhood, known for its prestigious history and now home to many militia leaders. Sawadi isn’t the first social media figure to be gunned down in Baghdad, as Noor Alsaffar, also known as “Noor BM,” was fatally shot in the city last year.
A neighbor who witnessed the shooting said he heard two shots and saw Sawadi lying on the steering wheel of her car. The woman who was with her in the car managed to escape, and security forces sealed off the area. In Iraq, social media influencers are now involved in promoting government projects and programs, with some influencers classified as key figures at events in various sectors. A recent video featuring a prominent influencer at a military anniversary event sparked backlash, criticizing the Ministry of Defense for allowing the recording at sensitive military sites.
Sawadi had previously been sentenced to six months in prison for posting videos containing obscene content on social media, part of the Iraqi government’s efforts to police morals. On the same day as Sawadi’s killing, the Iraqi parliament passed an amendment to the country’s prostitution law, punishing same-sex relations with a prison term of 10 to 15 years. This law also bans organizations promoting “sexual deviancy,” with penalties including a minimum of seven years in prison and a hefty fine.
The acting parliamentary speaker justified the law as necessary to protect societal values and children from what he called moral depravity and homosexuality. Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, condemned the law, stating that it violates fundamental human rights such as freedom of expression, privacy, equality, and nondiscrimination. The law’s passage reflects Iraq’s poor record of rights violations against LGBT people, with reports of armed groups committing violent acts against this community and the government failing to hold perpetrators accountable.
The killing of Sawadi and the passage of the controversial law highlight ongoing human rights issues within Iraq. The government’s efforts to police morals and restrict freedoms, particularly targeting the LGBT community and social media influencers, come under scrutiny from international human rights organizations. The situation paints a grim picture of the challenges faced by marginalized and vulnerable groups within Iraqi society, as well as the broader implications of these actions on freedom of expression and the protection of fundamental rights in the country.
