Kurdish student activist Leyla Qasim was executed by the Baathist regime on May 12, 1974 – accused of sedition and terrorism offenses. As the first woman in modern Iraq to face the death penalty, her sacrifice continues to inspire to this day.
In this short film, Leyla’s sister and college friend share their memories of her life, her arrest, and her final days in jail, where she and four of her friends were put to death.
Born in 1952 to a poor family in Bamila, Khanaqin, Leyla went on to study sociology at the University of Baghdad’s College of Humanities and became an active member of the Kurdistan Students’ Union.
For her role in the 1974 Kurdish uprising, Leyla was placed under arrest and sentenced to death. Her execution on May 12 that year was picked up by the world’s media and caused international outrage.
Proud of her Kurdish identity to the end, Leyla went to the gallows wearing in a traditional dress. For this reason, Leyla is known as the “Bride of Kurdistan”.
Report by Barzan Mohammed
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