BAGHDAD — The recent and widely publicized murder of Iraqi model and actor Karar Nushi is only one of the horrific crimes frequently witnessed in Iraqi society as religious extremists call for exterminating whatever they find offensive.

Ahmad al-Iraqi, one of Nushi’s close friends, told Al-Monitor he believes Nushi was killed July 3 over his appearance. Iraqi blames the “extremist religious militias and groups and their inflammatory speeches through religious platforms.” Nushi was a student at the Institute of Fine Art in central Baghdad and participated in several plays in the city. He was known for his long, blond hair and fashionable, often tight clothing.

“He stayed two days away from home. We thought that he had been working on a theatrical project, but his family was shocked by a call from the forensic medicine department to pick up the body,” Iraqi said. “Nushi’s murder was a shock to everyone who knew him. He did not have any problem with anyone. He was calm and friendly with everyone."

Nushi was reportedly tortured and stabbed; his body was thrown in a landfill. His murder stirred angry reactions on the Iraqi street. Some bloggers posted on social media videos of clerics inciting the killing of what they called “effeminate men.”