Baghdad, March 6, 2026 - Women Journalists Without Chains expresses its profound shock and unequivocal condemnation of the assassination of prominent Iraqi human rights activist and women’s rights defender Yanar Mohammed, Co-founder and Director of the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI).

She was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen outside her residence in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on the morning of Monday, March 2, 2026, in a targeted attack that represents a grave escalation in violence against human rights defenders.

According to information documented by Women Journalists Without Chains, assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire on Yanar Mohammed in the Al-Bunuk district in northern Baghdad while she was standing outside her home. She sustained critical gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The assassination occurred only days after Yanar had returned from Canada to Iraq to continue her human rights work, suggesting prior surveillance and deliberate planning to eliminate her. Since co-founding the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq in 2003, Yanar had been widely recognized as one of the most prominent advocates for women’s rights in the country, dedicating her efforts to protecting women subjected to violence, human trafficking, and so-called “honor” crimes. In recognition of her work supporting vulnerable women and minority communities, she was awarded the Norwegian Rafto Prize for Human Rights in 2016.

Commenting on the assassination, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman, President of Women Journalists Without Chains, stated: “The treacherous bullets that targeted our colleague and courageous human rights defender Yanar in the heart of Baghdad were not aimed merely at a brave woman, but at silencing the voice of rights and freedoms in Iraq and across the Arab region.”

Tawakkol Karman added: “Today, we do not mourn merely a human rights activist; we mourn a humanitarian institution walking upon the earth. For decades, Yanar Mohammed was the pillar upon which thousands of Iraqi women—fleeing the hell of violence, so‑called ‘honor’ killings, and human trafficking—leaned for support.”  

She emphasized that the late human rights defender “broke the wall of silence surrounding violations against women in conflict zones, reshaping the very concept of a field human rights advocate—one who does not settle for reports alone, but who creates change and saves lives in the heart of danger.”

In a statement, the Norwegian Rafto Foundation for Human Rights emphasized that the assassination represents not only an attack on Yanar Mohammed personally, but also on the fundamental values she dedicated her life to defending, including women’s freedom, democracy, and universal human rights.

Women Journalists Without Chains affirms that the assassination of Yanar—who devoted her life to protecting abused women, operating safe houses, and combating human trafficking—constitutes a flagrant violation of the right to life and a grave breach of international human rights law. These violations include Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the 1998 United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, both of which obligate states to protect individuals working to promote and defend fundamental rights and freedoms.

Women Journalists Without Chains further stresses that the recurring assassinations targeting activists in Iraq reflect the persistence of a climate of impunity, combined with the failure of security authorities to restrain armed groups operating outside the rule of law and to hold accountable those responsible for targeting voices advocating equality, justice, and human dignity.

Tawakkol Karman added: “The policy of impunity has emboldened perpetrators to commit such heinous crimes in broad daylight. The international human rights community should not accept anything less than a transparent and independent investigation capable of uncovering both the perpetrators and those who orchestrated this crime and bringing them to prompt justice, free from political bargaining.”

Women Journalists Without Chains holds the Iraqi government politically and morally responsible for addressing the persistent security failures that have left women human rights defenders vulnerable to targeted violence by armed actors operating beyond the authority of the state.

In response to this grave crime, Women Journalists Without Chains calls for urgent and decisive measures to ensure justice and protection for human rights defenders in Iraq.

First, the organization emphasizes the need for an immediate and independent investigation. It urges the Iraqi government and the Ministry of Interior to establish a professional and impartial investigative mechanism. This process must be transparent and, if necessary, involve international human rights bodies to guarantee the identification of the perpetrators as well as those who ordered or facilitated the attack.

Second, full accountability is essential. Women Journalists Without Chains demands that all individuals involved in the assassination—including planners, instigators, and executors—be brought before competent courts. Justice must be delivered without political interference or protection from militia groups, ensuring that impunity does not prevail.

Third, the organization stresses the importance of protection for women human rights defenders. It calls on Iraqi authorities to adopt concrete and effective measures to safeguard the lives of women activists, journalists, and civil society leaders who face persistent threats due to their human rights work. Such protection is vital to preserve the voices advocating for equality and justice.

Finally, Women Journalists Without Chains appeals to the international community. It calls on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, along with other global institutions, to intensify pressure on Iraqi authorities. The international community must ensure that Iraq fulfills its obligations to safeguard human rights defenders and prevent the recurrence of such crimes.

As Women Journalists Without Chains mourns the loss of this courageous human rights figure, the organization affirms that acts of violence will not silence the voices of those defending freedom and equality. The legacy of Yanar will remain an enduring inspiration for all who struggle for justice, dignity, and women’s rights in Iraq and across the Arab region.