Human rights activist Hamsa Jasim was shot dead in her car by unidentified gunmen in Iraq. The incident took place on October 7 in the Amiriyye area, north of the city of Kut, the capital of Wasit province. According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen opened fire on Jasim’s car and then quickly fled the scene.
Following the attack, security forces launched an investigation in the area, while Hamsa Jasim’s body was taken to the forensic medicine institute. The people call for the perpetrators to be apprehended as soon as possible and for similar attacks to be prevented.
Human rights organizations pointed out that the attack was part of a series of activist murders that have increased in Iraq in recent times. The Nakhil Center for Human Rights and Freedoms strongly condemned the attack, saying: “We demand that the authorities swiftly apprehend the perpetrators, that the incident not be covered up, and that any possible political connections be seriously investigated. Any negligent attitude will undermine confidence in the state’s justice system.”
The recent increase in attacks against human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society representatives in Iraq has brought the country’s security weaknesses and culture of impunity back into focus.