The Kurdistan region of Iraq was shocked upon learning about the murder of a Kurdish artist in a town in one of its provinces over allegations that he criticized Islam and was an atheist.
Wirya’s killing went viral on social media, where they accused the Islamic parties and Salafists in the Kurdistan Region for inciting the killer to commit the crime. https://t.co/3Ap7sxzXie
— Wladimir van Wilgenburg (@vvanwilgenburg) June 23, 2023
The victim was identified as Khwanas Wirya, an Iraqi Kurdish theater performer and poet. He was also known as the “king of the street” in his town of Chamchamal, in the region’s Sulaimani Province.
According to Kurdistan 24, the local news outlet that first reported the incident, Wirya was shot dead on June 22nd because of his atheism and alleged criticism of Islam. After killing Wirya, the murder suspect posted on Facebook, saying,” I’ll not allow anyone vilify my prophet. I’ll not.”
Mullah Halo denies any involvement in the murder of Khwanas Warya "the king of the street"@DrawMediaNet
The killer identified as (Hersh Karim), had previously posted Mullah Halo's speeches on his Facebook account, after he has been arrested, attributed the murder to religious… pic.twitter.com/mAMW1siggV— Draw English (@DrawMediaNet) June 24, 2023
A day after the murder, the governor’s office of Chamchamal announced that the murderer, identified only as H.K.A. by the authorities, was arrested by authorities. His full name was not made public for security reasons, and the suspect surrendered “under pressure from the security committee of Chamchamal.”
The Western Sulaimani Security Directorate released a statement on Wirya’s murder, saying that the suspect confessed to the crime and murdered him because he allegedly criticized Islam and that they had quarreled over the issue in the past.
After he has been arrested, the killer of (Khwanas Warya) attributed the murder to religious differences@DrawMediaNet pic.twitter.com/giF3odl9O5
— Draw English (@DrawMediaNet) June 23, 2023
The governor of Chamchamal, Ramak Ramazan, said that authorities have already launched an investigation into the incident and Wirya’s body has been sent for forensic medical examination.
Wirya’s murder went viral on Kurdish social media, and many netizens criticized Islamist parties and Salafists in the Iraqi Kurdistan region for inciting H.K.A. to kill Wirya. The Metro Center for Journalists' Rights and Advocacy also released a statement on June 23rd, urging Kurdistan Region authorities to investigate the crime to identify those involved.
Binar Mustafa, a Finland-based Iraqi activist, and writer, also lamented Wirya’s death, noting how his death is a sign of rising Islamism in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
“Wirya’s untimely death raises concerns about the increasing support for Islamist groups by Kurdistan’s rulers, leading to a rise in radical ideologies. Iraqi Kurdistan now holds the highest number of mosques per capita in the country, reflecting the growing influence of religious conservatism.” Mustafa said. “As the community mourns the loss of a vibrant young talent, there is a pressing need to address the alarming climate of intolerance and violence that has engulfed the region.”
