Francis Yousef Shabo

**Francis Yousif Shabo** (1951–1993) was a prominent Assyrian civil engineer, politician, and advocate for minority rights, born in Mangesh, Dohuk Governorate, Iraq. He graduated in 1975 from the University of Mosul with a degree in Civil Engineering and held significant administrative positions, including as the Director of the Water and Sanitation Department in Dohuk, where he worked to enhance public infrastructure.

In 1991, Shabo joined the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) and quickly became an influential leader. He was elected to the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament in 1992, where he served on key committees for economic planning and development. Shabo was an outspoken defender of Assyrian and Yazidi rights, focusing on reversing land confiscations, combating Arabization policies, and fostering unity among Assyrians across various Christian denominations. His efforts made him a respected but controversial figure within the region.

On June 1, 1993, Shabo was assassinated in Dohuk, reportedly by a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) operative. Despite evidence and calls for justice, his murderers were never prosecuted. His assassination remains a symbol of the challenges faced by Assyrians in Iraq, highlighting ongoing struggles for minority rights and representation

## Biography

Francis Yousif Shabo (1951 – May 31, 1993) was a prominent Assyrian civil engineer and politician from the Dohuk Governorate, located in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Born in Mangesh, he completed his studies in civil engineering at the University of Mosul in 1975. Following his graduation, Shabo held a series of administrative roles, including Director of the Water and Sanitation Department in Dohuk.

Shabo became involved in politics during the 1990s and was elected in 1992 as a member of the Kurdistan Parliament. He represented the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), advocating for the rights of Assyrians, especially those who had been displaced from their villages due to the Arabization policies under Saddam Hussein’s regime. Throughout his political career, Shabo worked tirelessly on issues related to economic development and the reclamation of land taken from Assyrians in disputed territories.

On May 31, 1993, Francis Yousif Shabo was assassinated by an armed group while traveling home to Dohuk. His assassination remains a controversial and significant event in the history of Assyrian politics in Iraq, with suspicions surrounding the involvement of Kurdish political factions, particularly the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Despite the clear political implications, the murder has yet to be fully investigated or resolved.

## Political life

Francis Yousif Shabo was an active political figure and member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM). In 1992, he was elected to the Kurdistan Parliament as a representative of the Assyrian community. During his tenure, Shabo focused on economic and development issues affecting the region. He was particularly vocal about the grievances of Assyrians from disputed villages, advocating for the restoration of lands and rights for those who had been expelled during the Arabization campaigns of the Iraqi government.

Shabo’s efforts to address the plight of displaced Assyrians and promote their rights earned him recognition within his community and beyond. However, his political career was tragically cut short. On May 31, 1993, Shabo was assassinated by an armed group while traveling to his home in Dohuk, an event that remains shrouded in controversy

## Assassination of Francis Yousef Shabo

Shabo joined the Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa) in 1991, and was elected to the Kurdish Parliament in 1992. He worked hard to support the rights of the Assyrian people in Iraq through his active participation in multiple parliamentary committees.

## Legacy

On May 31, 1993, Francis Youssef Chabou was assassinated by an armed group. At first, the crime was considered unknown, but as time passed and more political assassinations emerged, the identity of the killers was revealed. It turned out that the killers were linked to the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and the most prominent names circulated in the case were “Wahid Kovli” and “Khaled Haji Hamzani” with a group of their followers. It was also revealed that the killers were linked to the then Iraqi Baathist regime, and the motives for the assassination were related to the elimination of prominent figures in the Assyrian Democratic Movement with the aim of destabilizing the region

## The reviewer

In 2003, the Kurdish newspaper _Hawlati_ published documents that revealed the involvement of Khaled Haji al-Hamzani, who held a military position in the Iraqi intelligence service at the time, as the person responsible for the crime. The documents confirmed that a group of five individuals, led by Al-Hamzani, carried out terrorist operations on behalf of the Baathist regime .  The case has caused widespread controversy in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where authorities have been accused of not taking sufficient legal action against the perpetrators who fled to Mosul under the control of the Baathist regime. In 1994, Massoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, admitted in statements to human rights organizations that there was evidence proving the Iraqi government's involvement in the crime.

## Political activity

Shabo was honored after his martyrdom, with the Deputy Secretary-General of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, Yaqoub Korkis, describing him as “the first martyr of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament.” Shabo left behind a wife and three children, and is considered one of the most prominent martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the rights of the Assyrian people in Iraq.

Francis Yousef Shabo was born in Mangesh, Dohuk Governorate in 1951. He graduated from the University of Mosul in 1975 with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He worked in several engineering and administrative positions in Dohuk, the last of which was Director of the Water and Sewerage Department.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Francis Yousif Shabo
- **caption**: Francis Yousif Shabo advocating for Assyrian rights during a seminar
- **birth date**: 1951
- **birth place**: Mangesh, Dohuk Governorate, Iraq
- **death date**: May 31, 1993 (aged 42)
- **death place**: Dohuk, Iraq
- **nationality**: Iraqi, Assyrian
- **occupation**: Civil engineer, Politician
- **office**: Member of the Kurdistan Parliament
- **party**: Assyrian Democratic Movement