In a harrowing incident that highlights the perilous intersection of social media influence and conservative backlash in Iraq, Ghufran Sawadi, widely known as Om Fahad on TikTok, was shot dead in a nighttime attack outside her home in the Zayouna district of eastern Baghdad. The attack, captured on surveillance footage, saw a helmeted assailant dismount a motorcycle and fire into the vehicle where Om Fahad was seated.
Om Fahad’s popularity on TikTok, with nearly half a million followers entertained by her dance videos set to pop music, was cut short tragically.
The Ministry of Interior has disclosed the formation of a dedicated team to unravel the circumstances of the killing, which has occurred in the backdrop of a larger crackdown on what is perceived as “indecent” online content in Iraq. Last February, Om Fahad had been sentenced to six months in prison on charges of “indecent speech that undermines modesty and public moralit.”
In January 2023, the Interior Ministry’s launch of a committee aimed at curbing “obscene and degrading content” on social media platforms. This move was met with public participation through tens of thousands of reports against such content, resulting in apologies and retractions from some content creators. However, this societal impulse to regulate morality online has been countered by concerns from human rights organizations. The Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor stated that Om Fahad’s content did not breach the limits of her rights to freedom of opinion and expression, warning that the governmental campaign could dangerously encroach upon public freedoms and legitimize the suppression of political dissent.
The murder of Om Fahad is not an isolated incident but part of a distressing pattern. Similar fates befell other influencers, such as 23-year-old Noor Alsaffar and 22-year-old model Tara Fares, who were shot dead in 2023 and 2018, respectively. The phenomenon of “honor killings” has also surfaced, with the chilling case of 22-year-old YouTube star Tiba al-Ali, who was strangled by her father last January.
Relevant articles:
– Iraqi TikTok star Om Fahad shot dead in Baghdad, bbc.com, 04/27/2024
– Iraqi TikTok star Om Fahad shot dead in Baghdad night attack, Al Jazeera English, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 10:10:45 GMT
– Iraqi TikTok star Umm Fahad shot dead in Baghdad, CNN, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 13:09:00 GMT
– Iraqi TikTok star Om Fahad shot dead outside Baghdad home, The Guardian, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 07:47:00 GMT
– Iraqi Tik-Tok star shot dead outside home in Baghdad, Middle East Eye, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 08:54:02 GMT