Outrage as security forces assault women inside Iraqi Kurdistan court

Outrage ensued in Iraq following the circulation of videos online showing security forces assaulting  a number of women inside a Sulaimaniyah court, in the country’s Kurdistan region.

The video clips, which were shared by Twitter users on Monday and Tuesday, showed the security men kicking and beating women- nine sisters and their mother- inside the courthouse, as they screamed for help.

The security men’s behaviour has prompted widespread criticism and anger from activists online, who called their actions unacceptable and called for security officials to be held accountable for their actions.

ضرب المرأة غير مقبول ما حدث اليوم في محكمة السليمانية من قبل شرطة المحكمة الاعتداء على مجموعة من النساء أمر مخز، يجب محاسبة المتعدين وفصلهم فوراً. pic.twitter.com/Z3MnHUOgde

— Murad Kurdistani (@Murad_Officiall) June 13, 2022

Murad Kurdistani, the Director for the Future Centre of Policies in Iraqi Kurdistan, also described the assault that the women were subjected to as "shameful".

Another Twitter user, Hassan, said that this isn't "the first time" women have been assaulted at the hands of men, nor would it be "the last".

In the video, some of the women attempted to fight back against their attackers as the chaos continued.

الإهانة التي يمارسها حزبا السلطة وتحديدا الاتحاد في السليمانية ضد الفرد الكوردي مثيلها قليل في الأنظمة الدكتاتورية، ولا تختلف عمّا فعله صدام ونظامه الفاشي.. نهايتكم قريبة ولن تتحملوا ركل الشعب، والمخجل أن تُوصفوا بالديمقراطي وهكذا تكون ردة فعلكم مع نساء يعتصرهن الألم على ذويهن! pic.twitter.com/JfjO3VJIPi

— Srwa Abdulwahid. سروه عبدالواحد (@srwa_qadir) June 13, 2022

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government and a leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Qubad Talabani, apologised for the incident, and confirmed the arrest of the perpetrators, as well as investigation procedures against them.

Srwa Abdulwahid, an activist and head of the New Generation Bloc in parliament, called the security forces’ actions "insulting" towards the female victims, and likened the security officers' behaviour to that of former dictator Saddam Hussein’s "fascist regime".

The Protection and Development of the Family Association in Iraq decried the attack, and explained in a statement that the ten women refused to accept the seven year prison sentence given to a man guilty of killing their only brother.

The brother, was allegedly killed by a criminal gang who also stole his car, reported Al Jazeera Mubasher.