Amnesty International: Kurdistan Authorities Fail Domestic Violence Survivors

Kurdistan 11:48 AM - 2024-07-03

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Amnesty International portrays the condition of women in the Kurdistan Region in a bad light and states that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has been unsuccessful in holding accountable individuals who perpetrate acts of violence against women.

 

In two years, 70 women were killed in the Region

Amnesty International has published a new report stating that the authorities in the Kurdistan Region are not effectively holding perpetrators of domestic violence accountable for their actions. This includes cases of murder, rape, beatings, and burning. Additionally, Amnesty notes that the authorities are placing arbitrary restrictions on the freedoms of survivors who seek protection in the shelter system.

According to Amnesty International, government officials have confirmed that at least 30 women were killed in 2023, and 44 women were killed in 2022. NGO workers informed Amnesty International that the actual figures are probably significantly greater.

 

Authorities have failed to prosecute the criminals

Amnesty International states in their report: "Survivors face significant obstacles in accessing protection and justice in KRI. It finds a lack of political will on the part of the authorities to prosecute perpetrators of domestic violence or to offer meaningful support to women and girls who turn to the state for protection."

The report also highlights the many obstacles that survivors of domestic violence have when seeking access to the legal system. A significant obstacle is that survivors are required to personally submit a criminal complaint against their abuser in order for the authorities to investigate incidences of domestic violence and provide access to protection services, such as shelters. However, numerous women are afraid to do so due to concerns of reprisals or threats. 

 

The organisation condemns the bias of certain judges 

Amnesty International has criticised the "bias" displayed by certain judges in the courts of the Kurdistan Region, where they have failed to adequately punish defendants in accordance with the severity of their crimes. The trial proceedings for these cases are characterised by a slow and protracted process. It is also observed by Amnesty that judges frequently side with the perpetrators of violence instead of prioritising the protection of women, using the excuse of preserving the criminal's family unity. 

 

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