Moustache Shaving: A Weapon Against Dignity in Kurdistan

In recent years, a disturbing practice has emerged in the Kurdistan Region: the forced shaving of beards, moustaches, and eyebrows as a tool to break the dignity of those who oppose the ruling powers or against a social issue. This act, deeply humiliating in Kurdish and Arab societies, is tantamount to social murder. Victims are ostracized, their respectability shattered, and their voices silenced.

A TikTok Confession, No Consequences

In early 2025, a TikTok user named Rebaz revealed a shocking incident where six individuals forcibly shaved his Moustaches, and eyebrows after he filed a complaint against them as he stated. The result? No arrests.

A History of Humiliation

• 2022: A Kurdish Peshmerga was humiliated by the armed forces of Hashd al-Shaabi, who forcibly shaved him. The act went unpunished.

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• 2021: Rebwar Ali Shamar, a security official, faced a similar fate at the hands of Bafel Talabani after supporting Lahur Sheikh Jangi. Again, no arrests followed.

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• 2016: Hemn Banaslawai, a political figure, was subjected to this treatment before being deported by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Justice was not served.

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A Tool for Suppression

This phenomenon is more than just an attack on individuals; it’s a deliberate strategy to suppress dissent. By targeting personal dignity, the ruling powers send a message to society: submission or humiliation. The streets and public spaces have become battlegrounds where fear of such indignities silences countless voices.

The Cost of Dignity

For many, the fear of public shaming and loss of respect forces them into silence or exile. Hundreds have fled the region to escape the threat of this degrading treatment, leaving behind a homeland where free expression is suppressed through acts of calculated humiliation.

The shaving of a moustache is not just a personal attack—it’s a weapon of oppression, wielded to dismantle dignity and enforce submission in the Kurdistan Region.