ERBIL, Iraq — A young Iraqi woman was stabbed to death, possibly by relatives, a few weeks after announcing she had become a Christian.
The body of 20-year-old Eman Sami Maghdid was found March 7 in fields near Erbil International Airport in the Kurdistan region. Police suspect her death was an “honor” killing by some members of her Muslim family, states Morning Star News, quoting local media sources.
Asia News reported she had been stabbed repeatedly.
Her father is an imam in a local mosque.
According to the religious freedom advocacy group Middle East Concern, Maghdid announced her Christian conversion on a social media account a few weeks ago. On her various social media accounts, she had nearly 50,000 followers. She was known for promoting equal rights and women’s rights and had, in the past, criticized Islam.
Morning Star News reported Maghdid was forced into an arranged marriage at age 12, but she managed to escape four years later.
Iraq is No. 14 on Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
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