International: One year since Du’a Khalil Aswad was stoned to death

"A year ago images were posted on the internet of 17 year old Du'a Khalil Aswad, savagely stoned to death by a crowd of hundreds of people which included several of her own relatives. It sparked outrage across the world. Dua's "crime" was to fall in love with someone from outside "her own" religious and ethnic group.

Despite public outrage and protests, since then hundreds of women have been killed, or driven to commit suicide in Kurdistan and Iraq, in so-called “honour killings”.

The Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq and the International Campaign Against Killing and Stoning of Women in Kurdistan have made a huge effort to expose this atrocity and the many others like it internationally.

This year, on 7 April, we will commemorate Dua's and all victims of "Honour killing" in a week of action in different countries across the world.

We will organize activities to expose “cultures”, “traditions”, and religious norms and laws which cause all these brutalities against women in the region.

We call on you to join our efforts and endorse this call."

For more information and to endorse this call please contact:

Houzan Mahmoud: houzan2007@yahoo.com Tel: +44 7534264481

Rega Rauf: rega_svensson@yahoo.com

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(II) International Campaign Against Honour Killings (ICAHK): April 7th: A day of remembrance for Du'a Khalil and the thousands of other victims of so-called 'honour

"On April 7th 2007, Kurdish teenager Du'a Khalil was brutally stoned to death by hundreds of men, including her uncle and some of her closest relatives. The crime was a so-called 'honour' killing, occasioned by art student Du'a's romantic relationship with a local shopkeeper. The event scandalised the world, as the perpetrators filmed the violence on their mobile phones, which footage found its way onto the internet, where the world could see the murderous glee of the crowd and the collaboration of security forces."

What you can do:

Find out more about Du'a Khalil

1. Spread the word
Write a letter to your local papers, raising the issue of so-called 'honour' killing.

2. Du'a KhalilBlog for Du'a
Write a blog entry for Du'a Khalil on the 7th April, perhaps using one of our graphics available here, or post about her story on your forums

3. Contact the KRG
Send an email to the Kurdistan Regional Government asking what progress there has been in finding and prosecuting Du'a's killers and what they intend to do to reduce the rate of 'honour' killings in Kurdistan (there have been at least 300 other victims since Du'a's death.)

4. Sign the petition
Sign the petition, join the Facebook group

5. Tell someone about it
Whether your friend, relative or workmate, use April 7th to tell Du'a's story and highlight the inhumanity of 'honour' killings across the world

6. Get together
Organise an event to remember Du'a, whether its a candle-lit vigil or a private gathering to remember her. You can discuss ideas and get together in this thread and please send us your photographs.

7. Put up a poster
Print out and put up a poster in your window to show that Du'a Khalil is not forgotten. Download Colour poster or Black and white [Large PDF files]

8. Join the Facebook event
A Facebook event has been created: click here to join.

9. Read a good book
The anthology written in honour of Du'a Khalil Nothing But Red will be launched on April 7th with proceeds going to Equality Now

For further information and links, please see here: http://www.stophonourkillings.com/?name=Content&pid=44

If you have any other suggestions about how to mark this terrible anniversary, please contact the International Campaign Against Honour Killings.