Iraqi woman brutally killed by brother, recorded on video

Abu Dhabi: An Iraqi woman, Nourzan Al Shammari,30, was brutally killed, as she was returning from her work, local media reported.

The gruesome act in central Baghdad that was captured on video had gone viral. It shows a woman lying on the street as she is stabbed several times.

A wave of anger and condemnation exploded among Iraqis and Arabs, as the video was shared on different social media platforms, and a hashtag with her name became a trend.

“The murderer of Nourzan was arrested in a record time,” Iraqi police said in a statement on Saturday, three days after the heinous crime took place.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, Major General Saad Maan, said the killer was Nourzan’s brother, and he was aided by his cousins, who are still at large.

The suspect admitted to killing of the woman due to family problems, Major General Maan said in a statement.

The victim was reportedly forced to get married, when she was a child. She was later divorced, and recently refused to remarry.

Violence against women is endemic in Iraq, with a legislation strengthening protections against domestic violence currently being stalled in the Council of Representatives.