Father Convicted Of Assaulting Daughter Who Refused Arranged Iraqi Marriage

A U.S. citizen of Iraqi heritage who choked his 17-year-old daughter for refusing to travel to Iraq for an arranged marriage was found guilty of assault in Washington state on Thursday.

Jurors in Thurston County, Washington, convicted Ihsan Ali of assault and unlawful imprisonment after tracking down the victim, who had run away from home, and abusing her outside a high school in October 2024 while her mother watched, local mediaoutlets reported. The mother, Zahraa Ali, was convicted of violating a court order during the incident, which her daughter reportedly characterized as a potential attempted “honor killing” common in Muslim-majority countries.

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Ihsan Ali was seen on video choking his daughter on the ground at the high school with several witnesses surrounding them, according to FOX 13 Seattle. The victim previously reported abuse by her parents, who wished to send her to Iraq to marry an older man. Witnesses said they saw the victim’s eyes roll back while in the chokehold.

Ihsan Ali was reportedly acquitted of first-degree assault, while both parents were cleared of attempted murder.

The victim’s father was also recorded telling his wife not to let police take his car as they led him into custody in handcuffs, apparently saying nothing about his daughter’s condition, The New York Post reported.