Leak of Ban Ziyad’s Photos and Conversations Sparks Official Action in Iraq
Ban Ziyad Case Sparks Controversy in Iraq Investigation Committee Formed to Identify Those Responsible for the Leaks
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has launched a new investigation into the death of young doctor Ban Ziyad Tarek, whose passing last month sparked widespread controversy in Iraq and became a matter of public debate.
The current investigation focuses on identifying those responsible for leaking private photos and conversations of the late doctor on social media, which played a key role in fueling the public’s suspicion of murder rather than suicide.
Formation of an Investigation Committee
Iraqi MP Mohammad Jassim Al-Khafaji stated that the Interior Minister issued an order to form an investigation committee regarding the leak of photos, conversations, and video clips of the doctor’s body during the ongoing investigation. He added that the committee’s formation came at his formal request, and he also requested a similar inquiry from the Ministry of Health, pending their response.
Al-Khafaji emphasized that the publication of the private photos, conversations, and videos of Ban Ziyad Tarek constitutes a violation of her privacy and her family’s dignity, warning that these actions exacerbate the suffering of her relatives.
Ban passed away on August 4. She was a well-known doctor who shared medical content on social media, but doubts arose about the validity of the suicide narrative provided by her family, prompting Iraqi authorities to launch a wider investigation amid suspicions that her death might have been a murder.
The repercussions of the case spread from her hometown of Basra to other Iraqi cities, including the capital Baghdad, as citizens and members of parliament questioned the suicide claim, particularly after a video of her body in the hospital showing deep injuries circulated, along with private conversations and voice recordings between her and colleagues.
The Supreme Judicial Council had announced on August 18 the closure of the investigation, approximately three weeks after her death, confirming that the cause of death was suicide due to depression, according to the findings of the comprehensive investigation at that time.