Remembering Our Dead

TDoR 2022 / 2022 / January / 28 / Doski Azad

Doski Azad

Age 23

28 Jan 2022
Duhok (Iraq)
Shot

TDoR list ref: tgeu/tdor2022/28-Jan-2022/Doski Azad

Doski was shot in the head and chest by her estranged brother, who flew back from Europe to Iraq to murder her.

Doski Azad didn't turn up to a scheduled meeting, which was out of character, one of her friends told Insider.

The 23-year-old transgender woman, a makeup artist in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, was usually very reliable, she said.

The friend knew something was up, but she couldn't have anticipated the shocking call she received two days later. "I found out Doski was brutally murdered," she said.

Azad's body was found on Monday afternoon in a village on the outskirts of Duhok. She had been shot in the head and chest, a day or two before the corpse was discovered, Dohuk police said.

An image reviewed by Insider showed that Azad's hands had been tied together, and her body had been left in a shallow ditch. Police became aware of the body's whereabouts after a tipoff from a relative, the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw reported.

کچێکی ترانس بە ناوی دۆسکی ئازاد (٢٣ ساڵ) لە دهۆک کوژرا.

پۆلیسی دهۆک ڕایگەیاند:«برایەکی دۆسکی کە لە دەرەوەی هەرێمی کوردستان دەژی، لەم ڕۆژانە گەڕاوەتەوە دهۆک و ئەم تاوانەی ئەنجام داوە. تەرمی دۆسکی ئەمڕۆ لە گوندێکی دهۆک دۆزراوەتەوە.»
دۆسکی ماوەیەک بوو ترانسبوونی خۆی ئاشکرا کردبوو. pic.twitter.com/dBtFpVF3mz
— Shaswar Mame (@shaswarmame21) January 31, 2022

A trans girl named Doski Azad (23) was killed in Duhok.

According to the Duhok Police, Doski's brother, who lived outside the Kurdistan Region, returned to Duhok a few days ago and killed his trans sister. Her body was found in a village today.

The US Consolate and French Consul Général publically condemned the killing.

pic.twitter.com/GI3spjHLVB
— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USConGenErbil) February 3, 2022

La dignité humaine est inviolable

شکۆی مرۆڤ نابێت دەستی بۆ ببرێت

Human dignity shall be inviolable pic.twitter.com/XLbMmpb8yx
— Olivier Decottignies (@O_Decottignies) February 1, 2022

Doski was working as a hair stylist. Her birth family did not accept her transition and continuously harassed her.

A talented makeup artist, the 23-year-old had supported herself since her family turned its back on her when she was a young teenager. She went to brides’ homes to prepare them for their weddings and built a reputation that earned her a job at a salon in Duhok.

“She was such a nice person, and everyone loved her so much,” said a close friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “She lived alone because when she went to her family home, they said to Doski, ‘Get out’,” the friend said. “They said, ‘When we see you alone, we will kill you’.”

Shortly after killing her her brother fled the country. His current whereabouts are unknown.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/transgender-woman-doski-azads-honour-killing-uncovers-disturbing-culture/F7KARQEUK3QB36MA3NOEBAROJY/

https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/1938421/transgnero-curda-morta-pelo-irmo-escondia-se-da-famlia-aps-ameaas

https://web.archive.org/web/20220222190150/https://www.continental.com.ar/sociedad/una-mujer-transgenero-kurda-fue-asesinada-por-su-hermano-y-escapaba-de-su-familia_a6213c7b9d33aef6a7e7c9d80

https://observador.pt/2022/02/22/mulher-transgenero-curda-morta-pelo-irmao-vivia-escondida-da-familia/

https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/duhokta-oldurulen-trans-birey-doski-azadin-arkadaslari-konustu-ailesi-uzun-zamandir-tehdit-ediyordu-haber-1553970

https://www.cromosomax.com/61627-una-mujer-trans-es-asesinada-por-su-propio-hermano-en-kurdistan

https://escandala.com/mujer-trans-es-asesinada-por-su-propio-hermano-en-kurdistan

https://english.alaraby.co.uk/features/kurdish-authorities-silent-transgender-violence-increases

https://www.metroweekly.com/2022/02/trans-woman-killed-by-brother-in-kurdistan-honor-killing/

https://xtramagazine.com/power/kurdish-trans-woman-murdered-217969

https://attitude.co.uk/article/trans-woman-allegedly-shot-by-brother-in-so-called-honour-killing-1/26583/