Iraqi TikTok Influencer Om Fahad Shot dead in Baghdad

Iraqi TikTok Influencer Om Fahad (photo: Agencies)

Asif Iqbal | April 28, 2024 | 10:28 AM IST | Crime, World | Follow on Google News

Iraqi TikTok Influencer Om Fahad Shot dead in Baghdad

Iraqi TikTok Influencer Om Fahad Shot dead in Baghdad

BAGHDAD: Iraqi TikTok star Om Fahad was shot dead in a late-night attack outside her home in eastern Baghdad’s Zoyouna district, Al Jazeera reported on Saturday.

The viral creator of the short video-making platform, Tiktok, was shot down by an unidentified assailant who came on a motorcycle, wearing dark clothing and a helmet, got off the motorcycle, walked towards a black SUV, and shot Om Fahad, who was sitting inside, according to the surveillance camera footage captured from the incident site.

Al Jazeera reported that the Ministry of Interior said it had set up a team to investigate the circumstances of the killing.

Om Fahad, whose real name is Ghufran Sawadi, was popular on TikTok with nearly half a million followers for sharing videos of herself dancing to pop music.

In February 2023, she was sentenced to six months in prison by a court that determined her videos contained “indecent speech that undermines modesty and public morality”. Some of her videos generated more than one million views.

Five more online content creators also received prison terms ranging up to two years at the time, and investigations were launched against others.

This came after the Iraqi Interior Ministry in January 2023 launched a committee to discover “obscene and degrading content” posted online by influencers like Om Fahad in a stated effort to safeguard “morals and family traditions” in Iraqi society.

Al Jazeera reported that it also created an online platform where Iraqi users were encouraged to report any such content to be taken down. Authorities claimed at the time that the public welcomed the platform and tens of thousands of reports were registered by the public.

Some online content creators were forced to apologise and take down some of their content after the crackdown by the ministry.

The Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said in a report last year that it found no grounds for indictment of Om Fahad and that her content did not exceed the limits of her rights to freedom of opinion, expression or publication.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by VoM News staff and is published from syndicated feed)

Asif Iqbal

Asif Iqbal is a seasoned news writer with a passion for delivering the latest updates to the public. Currently serving as the senior writer at VoM News, a prominent news outlet known for its comprehensive coverage of diverse topics, Asif has established himself as a reliable source of information. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, he consistently provides readers with well-crafted articles that cover a wide range of news categories. His dedication to journalistic integrity and his commitment to staying ahead of the news curve make him an invaluable asset to Vom News, ensuring that readers are always well-informed on the issues that matter most. You can find his work and stay updated on current events by visiting vomnews.in.