Iraqi TikTok Star Om Fahad Shot Dead in Baghdad
Om Fahad, a renowned Iraqi TikTok content creator with almost half a million followers, was tragically shot and killed outside her residence in the Zoyouna district of eastern Baghdad on Saturday. The shocking incident, captured by surveillance cameras, depicts an unidentified assailant arriving on a motorcycle near Ms. Fahad’s black SUV. The attacker, clad in dark clothing and a helmet, approaches the vehicle and opens fire on Ms. Fahad, fatally wounding her.
Details about Om Fahad’s life and career:
– Her real name was Ghufran Sawadi.
– She resided in the Zoyouna district of eastern Baghdad, where she was murdered.
– As a prominent TikToker, Ms. Fahad had amassed a large following, with some of her videos garnering over a million views.
– Her content primarily featured her dancing to Iraqi music, shopping, and food vlogs.
In February of last year, Ms. Fahad faced a six-month prison sentence after a court deemed her content to contain “indecent speech that undermines modesty and public morality.”
However, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor subsequently stated that it found no basis for Ms. Fahad’s indictment, asserting that her content stayed within the bounds of her rights to free expression, opinion, and publication.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry formed a committee in January 2023 to identify and remove “inappropriate and offensive content” shared by influencers like Om Fahad, with the stated aim of safeguarding “morals and family values” in Iraqi society. The ministry also launched an online platform for Iraqi citizens to report such content, resulting in tens of thousands of reports and the compelled removal or apology of content by numerous online creators.
Om Fahad’s murder follows a broader crackdown on online freedom in Iraq, including the killing of fellow TikToker Noor Alsaffar last year. The incident has heightened concerns about the safety of influencers and the state of online expression in the country.
