BAGHDAD: Iraqi activists protested Sunday to demand a law against domestic violence, days after a YouTuber was strangled by her father in a killing that has outraged the conservative country, reports AFP.
Tiba al-Ali, 22, was killed by her father on January 31 in the southern province of Diwaniyah, interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan said on Twitter on Friday.
On Sunday, security forces prevented some 20 activists from demonstrating outside the country's Supreme Judicial Council, and they gathered instead at a road leading to the building, an AFP journalist said. Some held placards saying Stop killing women and Tiba's killer must be held to account.
We demand laws to protect women, especially laws against domestic violence, 22-year-old protester Rose Hamid told AFP.
We came here to protest against Tiba's murder and against all others. Who will be the next victim
Another demonstrator, Lina Ali, said We will keep mobilising because of rising domestic violence and killings of women.
On the sidelines of Sunday's demonstration, human rights activist Hanaa Edwar was received by a magistrate from the Supreme Judicial Council to whom she presented the protesters' grievances.
In Turkey she had gained a following on YouTube, posting videos of her daily life in which her fiance often appeared.
Recordings have been shared on social media by a friend of Ali, and picked up by activists, reportedly of conversations with the father, angry because she was living in Turkey.
In the recordings, she also accuses her brother of sexual harassment.
AFP could not independently verify the authenticity of the voice recordings.