Baghdad Family Kills 15-Year-Old Kawthar al-Husayjawi With 10 Bullets, Celebrating Her Death
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 1
Baghdad Family Kills 15-Year-Old Kawthar al-Husayjawi With 10 Bullets, Celebrating Her Death
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 1
Kawthar Bashar al-Husayjawi, 15, was taken to an open area outside Baghdad and killed by male relatives with 10 bullets and an axe, according to a family member who said tribe members later danced in celebration.
Her killing followed years of coercion: she was pulled from school, forced into marriage at 13, divorced in late 2025 after abuse, then ordered into another marriage she refused.
Early in May, Kawthar fled home as the second wedding neared; after a neighbor allegedly abducted her for three days, surveillance footage reportedly supported her claim she was dragged away, but her family rejected it.
The witness said relatives moved the body repeatedly, a police officer allegedly sought a bribe to record the case as kidnapping rather than murder, and a brother may surrender as the sole culprit to frame it as an 'honour' killing.
The case has renewed scrutiny of Iraq's weak treatment of so-called honour crimes and child marriage, with the witness warning that corruption and legal mitigation leave women and girls exposed to lethal family violence.
Why would an Iraqi family publicly celebrate their daughter's brutal murder, and what does it reveal about justice in their community?
As Iraq legalizes child marriage, is it creating more victims like 15-year-old Kawthar?
When a country's laws protect 'honor' killers, can international justice ever reach victims like Kawthar?
Outrage Over Kawthar al-Husayjawi’s Death: The Deadly Impact of Iraq’s 2025 Child Marriage Law and Tribal “Honor”
Overview
Kawthar al-Husayjawi’s story reveals a tragic cycle of abuse and systemic failure. Removed from school at 13, she was forced into a violent marriage, then fled to her family seeking safety. Instead, her family placed her under house arrest and pressured her to return to her abuser, leading Kawthar to threaten suicide. Though she eventually secured a divorce, her freedom was short-lived; she was brutally killed, and her family celebrated her death. This case sparked outrage and highlighted how legal changes, tribal customs, and lack of protection leave many Iraqi women vulnerable to violence and injustice.