Sulaimani court sentences Khwanas Wirya's killer to life imprisonment

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - On Tuesday, Karzan Fazel, the lawyer representing the family of Khwanas Wirya, announced at a press conference that the Sulaimani court has sentenced the killer of Khwanas Wirya to life imprisonment.

This decision comes after a year-long legal battle and five court hearings.

Khwanas Wirya, a 27-year-old artist and theater performer, was tragically shot dead in the market of Chamchamal district on June 22, 2023.

Read More: Man killed in Sulaimani Province for criticizing Islam

The murder shocked the community and garnered widespread attention on social media, where Islamic parties and Salafists in the Kurdistan Region faced criticism for allegedly inciting the crime.

"The court today gave its verdict after five hearings, sentencing the accused to life imprisonment for terrorism," Fazel stated.

However, Khwanas’s father expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, saying, "We appealed the verdict because he should have been given a heavier punishment. The case is not so easy. The killer had incentives and cooperation, and it was not mentioned at the hearing."

Several individuals, including a preacher, are implicated in the case, suggesting a broader conspiracy.

The victim's family has rejected multiple attempts to resolve the issue through social means, insisting on pursuing justice through the legal system.

"We refused and took the court route so that these ignorant people who do not try to resolve the issue through social means and so that we ensure the rule of law," Khwanas’s father added.

The Metro Center for the Protection of Journalists' Rights also condemned the assassination of Khwanas Wirya, calling for justice and accountability in the wake of this tragic incident.