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of Human Rights Defenders

Front Line is deeply concerned following a gun attack against women’s rights organisation, Asuda, on 11 May 2008. Founded in 2000, Asuda is a non-governmental organisation based in Sulaymaniyah that provides protection for women victims of domestic violence.

Further Information

Posted 14/05/2008 On 11 May 2008, at approximately 11.00pm, unidentified gunmen reportedly opened fire on Asuda’s protection shelter from an unoccupied house nearby. A mother of three who is a resident at the shelter was shot by three bullets and was hospitalised for treatment.

Asuda’s protection shelter has been in operation since 2002 and has supported over 470 women victims of domestic violence since then. The organisation has been the subject of threats in the past relating to its work in the defence of women’s human rights, but the attack of 11 May 2008 was the first human rights violation of this kind.

Front Line believes that Asuda has been targeted because of its legitimate work in defence of human rights, in particular the rights of women in Iraq. Front Line sees the attack against Asuda’s protection shelter for women as part of an ongoing trend of harassment against human rights defenders in Iraqi Kurdistan. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of all members of Asuda.