STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Sweden is optimistic that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will help hand over the father of a Kurdish 19-year-old who was the victim of an “honor killing,” as well as suspects in other similar crimes, activists and officials said.
Ismael Khalaf is wanted for kidnapping in the April 2012 death of Maria Barin, who was stabbed to death in the southern Swedish city of Landskrona by her brother, in a murder apparently incited by the father.
"Sweden is optimistic about the cooperation of Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of the KRG, because he has previously assisted us in other cases," said Alberto, a Swedish women's rights activist.
A source close to Swedish police said that some suspects involved in murdering girls of Kurdish origin in “honor” crimes were hiding in the Kurdistan Region and other parts of Iraq, and that Sweden was looking for a cooperation mechanism with the KRG to have them brought to justice.
"Sweden needs the cooperation of the KRG, especially in freeing girls that are kidnapped to Iraq and Kurdistan," the source said on condition of anonymity.
"There is a will for cooperation, but it is difficult since many of the culprits are in hiding," said Bayan Nasih, a member of the Stockholm Council of Commons.
The request for KRG cooperation coincides with proposals by some political parties inside the Swedish Parliament to help the Iraqi Kurdistan region improve the situation of women. Sweden’s left and green parties asked the Swedish government in November to help provide for better women’s rights in Kurdistan.
Maria’s father, who is said to have a government post in Iraqi Kurdistan, broke Swedish law by forcing his daughter to return to Kurdistan at age 13, for an arranged marriage with an older relative five years later.
After she returned to Sweden, Khalaf is believed to have incited his son to kill Maria.
According to information obtained by Rudaw from Swedish authorities, some eleven suspects in “honor killing” cases are hiding in the Kurdistan Region and other parts of Iraq, and are wanted by Swedish authorities.
Reporting on Maria’s case, a local newspaper in Landskrona recently wrote that, "Swedish courts have lost hope in Iraq following up on this case."
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