Heartbreaking Loss of Iraqi YouTube Star Tiba al-Ali to Honor Killing
Tiba al-Ali, an Iraqi Youtube star who charmed her way into the hearts of over 20,000 subscribers with lively videos and tales of her journey from Iraq to Turkey, was killed this year in a kind of “honor killing.”
Tiba’s story was really amazing. She moved to Turkey in 2017 when she was only 17 and began a new journey, making videos about her life so popular that they got watched tens of thousands of times. However, her return to Iraq in January of this year turned into a heartbreaking and unimaginable event.
In a shocking and incredibly sad turn of events, Tiba’s own father was responsible for ending her life in what authorities called an honor killing. The circumstances around her death were not seen as planned, leading to a shockingly short six-month prison sentence for her father.
This deeply sad event has not only taken away a young and vibrant talent from the world but has also shown us the problems with honor killings in Iraq and the tough situation faced by women in a society with strong conservative values.
Tiba’s murder led to protests in Iraq and got the attention of people worldwide who fight for women’s rights. It has shown us the issues with Iraqi laws when it comes to protecting women from domestic violence.
Legal rules like Article 409, which allow for light punishments in honor killings, and Article 41, which allows a husband to “punish” his wife, are now being looked at more closely after this tragedy.
5,000 honor killings take place every year worldwide among victims ranging from small children to elderly women, according to UN estimates. This is a big concern that affects many countries.
Tiba’s early death has led to calls for stronger laws and government actions to protect women’s rights and stop violence against them. It has also started conversations about the need to change old-fashioned laws everywhere to make sure women are safe from harm and violence.
The memory of Tiba al-Ali will live on in the minds of her devoted fans who are mourning such a young talent with a bright future. Women must be protected in such societies where old-fashioned rules still prevail and the fight for gender equality has been on.
