Mysterious death of Iraqi psychiatrist sparks fury in the Middle Eastern country over state of women's rights
Her mother, who was interviewed by local media, said Dr Tariq was under work pressure.
However, forensic reports and colleagues indicated the case may be a homicide, as Dr Tariq's arms were cut off, her neck bore deep wounds, and signs of suffocation and severe violence were found on her body.
Pictures were also circulated on social media with her face and neck severely injured.
The judiciary in Basra ruled her death a suicide, a move that outraged Iraqis who believed it was a cover-up of an honour killing.
On TikTok and X, users launched campaigns with the hashtag 'Justice for Ban,' posting videos and calling for accountability, while protesters in Basra and Baghdad demanded reforms to protect women.
Activists linked the case to the widespread issue of honour killings in Iraq, where women are sometimes killed over family disputes and their deaths hidden under labels of suicide.
The UK Home Office report on Iraq states that violence against women is deeply ingrained and blood feuds and tribal customs fuel cycles of retaliatory violence.
It outlines that honour crimes can be motivated by pre-marital relationships, refusal of arranged marriages, adultery, loss of virginity including rape, divorce, or behaviour deemed shameful online.
Women's rights activist Amal al-Kabbashi told The New Arab that killings will continue as long as perpetrators escape punishment from weak enforcement, stressing the need for strict laws safeguarding women's dignity.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani ordered a follow-up investigation and urged the process to be free from political exploitation, reflecting the high-profile nature of the case.
The Iraqi Doctors' Syndicate slammed the leak of graphic images of Dr Ban's body, and labelled it as a violation of human dignity and rights while calling for legal action against those accountable.
Dr Ban was very influential on TikTok and uploaded educational videos on mental health topics to her over 300,000 followers.
Many fans paid tribute online and continued posting with the hashtag "Justice for Ban".
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