Kurdish Lawyer Beaten to Death by Judge’s Bodyguards in Erbil: A Crisis of Justice?
Erbil, Iraq
In a shocking and disturbing attack on the rule of law, Kurdish lawyer Sihad Abdulkarim Majid was brutally beaten to death in front of a court in Erbil on Tuesday. The most alarming aspect of this case is that the attackers were allegedly the bodyguards of a judge named Sarud, raising serious questions about judicial accountability, legal immunity, and the growing impunity in the region.
According to Nabaz Rashad, a journalist for Kurdfile, the lawyer had previously been arrested and later released on bail for 10 million dinars. However, what followed was not due legal process, but a gruesome act of violence that has sent shockwaves through the legal community.
Legal Immunity Under Threat
Lawyers are supposed to have legal immunity under Kurdish and Iraqi law, allowing them to perform their duties without fear of retaliation. However, this case reflects a dangerous precedent where even legal professionals are not safe from violence especially when the alleged perpetrators are connected to judicial authorities.
If a lawyer can be publicly beaten to death in front of a court, what message does this send to ordinary citizens seeking justice? How can the judiciary maintain credibility when those entrusted with upholding the law become complicit in lawlessness?
Judicial Corruption and Violence: A Growing Crisis?
The involvement of a judge’s bodyguards in this brutal killing raises fears of a justice system plagued by corruption, political interference, and unchecked power. In recent years, Kurdish authorities have been criticized for failing to protect lawyers, activists, and journalists who speak out against abuses of power.
This is not an isolated case. Reports of intimidation, arrests, and attacks on legal professionals and journalists have been increasing. The lack of accountability only emboldens those in power to silence dissent through violence.
Will There Be Justice?
The Kurdish government and judicial authorities must respond immediately to this heinous crime. The killers must be arrested and prosecuted, and an independent investigation should be launched to determine whether the judge himself had any involvement in the attack.
If justice is not served, this case will further erode public trust in the legal system, sending a clear message that power, not law, rules the land.
The legal community, civil rights organizations, and the Kurdish people must demand transparency, accountability, and the protection of legal professionals. Without it, the justice system will continue to serve the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable and no one will be safe.
