Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Iraqi activists and women’s rights organizations condemned on Tuesday, the assassination of Yanar Mohammed, head of the Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq, calling for an urgent and independent investigation.

During a press conference organized by the March 8 Network, with participation from the Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement (TAJÊ), Bahar Munthir, a member of the Network, denounced any attempt to target or silence women, urging authorities to impose the strictest measures against those held accountable.

Mundir further underscored Mohammed’s long-standing role as a defender of women and children, noting her leadership in opposing “honor killings” and human trafficking, and stressed that threats to Mohammed’s life represented an attack on women and human rights more broadly.

The March 8 Network also demanded full protection for women activists and measures to end violence against women, asserting that “the voice of terror will not silence the demand for equality.”

In turn, TAJÊ framed the assassination as a direct attack on a leading female voice advocating for women’s dignity and freedom, describing Mohammed’s death as a significant loss for the women’s movement in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The organization also recalled her work in advocating for Yazidi women held captive, breaking international silence on genocide crimes, pursuing legal justice against perpetrators, and establishing networks to protect survivors.

On Monday, the Iraq Women’s Freedom Organization reported that two assailants on motorcycles shot Mohammed outside her home. She later died from her injuries in a hospital. Meanwhile, Iraq’s Interior Ministry ordered the formation of a specialized investigative team to examine the killing, stressing the identification of those responsible and ensuring their accountability.