Kurdish women fear killer's release

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq -- Women's groups in the Kurdish north of Iraq have expressed outrage that a convicted killer may be released after paying blood money to the family of his female victim.

Salih Ahmed, who goes by the name of Salih Muzali, is serving life in prison for the murder of 32-year-old Mahabad Abdullah in 1999. The family of Muzali, a wealthy and powerful man who formerly owned a car dealership, recently paid $170,000 to the family of the dead woman, and could be released if he is granted amnesty by the Kurdistan region's top official.

Kurdish women's groups have expressed outrage at the possibility that Muzali could be let out. The Halwest Group, an umbrella association of 37 women's organizations, last week called for the convict to be kept in prison.

The deal was reached by the families of Mahabad and Muzali with the help of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK, one of two main parties in the Kurdish north.

This is not unusual, as the big Kurdish parties maintain social affairs offices whose duties include supervising such reconciliation agreements, especially when blood has been spilled.

more: http://www.metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20060730-113703-2956r

[krkaufman]

1. Hey, I don't have a problem with reconciliation payments ...

... if they can be used to prevent further feuding, and to somehow begin to compensate another family for their loss. But such payments should be a matter of civil suits and should have no effect on criminal cases, past or pending.