17/09/2009 / world
Three victims of honour crimes in Iraqi Kurdistan. Photos posted on the "Conference to Remember Du’a Khalil" Facebook page.
Women are
usually murdered for behavioural and societal reasons, like falling in love
with a person from
another faith, even if sexual relations or marriage are not involved. The family can also ‘get rid of' a woman because they don't
approve of the man she's married, or because it's the easiest way to protect
the heritage.
No prison if you kill your daughter in the name of honour
On Tuesday, a Moroccan living in the north of Italy stabbed his 18-year-old daughter to death. His motive - she was going out with a 31-year-old Catholic. This type of "honour killing" was headline news in Italy, but in some countries in North Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, the practice is relatively common.
According to NGO Human Rights Watch, an honour crime is "committed by male family members against female family members who are perceived to have brought dishonour upon the family".
In 2002 a report by the UN Commission for Human Rights said this kind of crime took place in Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, and other Gulf and Mediterranean countries. According to the report, in European countries such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom this kind of crime only occurred within immigrant communities. The list is not exhaustive. Yemen, Iraqi Kurdistan, Bangladesh and the Palestinian Territories are all areas where the practice is on the increase.
There are no official statistics for honour killings because they are usually committed in the family home and then disguised as accidents. Yet, every year, honour killings are are said to claim the lives of up to 50 women in Jordan, 200 in Syria, 500 in Yemen and over a thousand in Pakistan. In the Palestinian Territories, 70 percent of crimes perpetrated against women are thought to be honour killings, while the majority of them are attributed to natural causes.
Unlike a crime of passion, an honour crime is premeditated. And yet, sentences in many countries are usually only a couple of months long, maximum two years. The persecutor benefits from extenuating circumstances and is occasionally excused completely, escaping without charge.
In Jordan, Queen Rania has publicly called for tougher sentencing of honour crimes. But the parliament there has twice refused to abolish Article 340 of the penal code, opting instead to modify it and allow convicted honour killers to be sentenced for a few months only.
Pakistan however has voted to introduce a law to punish honour killers with the death penalty. And in Turkey, where honour killers used to incur just an eighth of the normal sentence, life imprisonment is now a real possibility.
Contributors
Do'a Khalil, stoned to death in 2007
On 7 April 2007, Du’a Khalil Aswad was stoned to death before a crowd of hundreds of men in Bashiqa, Iraqi Kurdistan.
“These said crimes affect both Muslim and Christian families in Syria”
Bassam Alkadi runs the Syrian Women's Observatory, a campaign against honour crimes launched in 2005.
Women are
usually murdered for behavioural and societal reasons, like falling in love
with a person from
another faith, even if sexual relations or marriage are not involved. The family can also ‘get rid of' a woman because they don't
approve of the man she's married, or because it's the easiest way to protect
the heritage.
Contrary to popular opinion, these said crimes affect both Muslim and Christian families in Syria, according to a study compiled by our observatory. This plague is not fussy about religion, social class or level of education.
The Syrian law which affects this has recently been modified (article 548 was repealed due to the legislative decry 37). Honour killers no longer benefit from absolute exemption, but only from mitigating circumstances. This alteration however doesn't make much difference, as in the case of honour crimes, judges are able to reach their verdict using another article - article 192 - in consideration that the aggressor committed the crime due to an ‘honourable motive', and therefore faces a maximum of one year.
It must also be pointed out that it's only men who benefit from this. A Syrian woman who killed her husband after finding out that he was raping her daughters got 12 years in prison."
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THEIS IN ALL OPEN FREE WORLD IN NOW THEIS ALLWAY ALZEDEH IS BREA
Submitted by CO ALSHEAR ADEL CO GENTOFTE.DK . DENMARK (not verified) on Mon, 28/09/2009 - 10:41.THE IS OPEN FREE DO HAVE IN OPEN FREE WORLD TIME THE OPEN FREE WEST EUROP THE IS OPEN FREE WORLD FROM THE IS OPEN FREE MEDIA THE OPEN FREE WEST EUROP THE OPEN FREE WORLD IN OPEN FREE WORLD TIME THE IS HAVE BE THE IS ALL WAY ALZEDEH PARTY NO GOOD WAY IN THE ALL WORLD WITH OPEN FREE HAVE THE IS HAVE BE THE IS ALZEDEH PARTY BREAK ALL LAW IN THE ALL WORLD IN WITH THE IS ALL TIME THE IS WITH THE IS IN OPEN FREE IS IN THE OPEN FREE WORLD IN THE OPEN FREE WORLD TIME THE OPEN FREE WEST EUROP THE OPEN FREE WORLD IN NOW THE IS HAVE BE THE LIFE IS GOOD WITH OUT PARTY THE ZEDEH PARTY IS BREAK LAW IN THE OPEN FREE WORLD WITH TIME OPEN FREE THE WEST EUROP WORLD THE OPEN FREE WORLD .
Unregistered user
This is a crime commited by criminals, they hould be executed
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 21/09/2009 - 19:29.I dont see on what basis they killed this poor girl.
What kind of principles can permit the occurence of such a barbaric act
may be they are basing their judgment on islamic principles ??? I dont think so
There's no evidence that she commited adultery or any prohibited act against any islamic law and even if she did; "DEATH" souldn't be her punishement.
They drag her out of her home like a dog and they started beating her without mercy.
it's really shamefull to commit such an act toward a defensless person, and because she can't fight back they abused her without impunity.
if really they want to fight for their honor like they're claiming why are they quiet in front of the american invasion; they abused their woman in prisons and abused even their men?
this is a perfect example of the complete degradation of the social fabric in Irak.
lawlessness prevails every where in that place.
This crime will never go impunish if not in this life , it'll be in the life after.
Unregistered user
Honour Killings under ISLAM
Submitted by Kenneth T. Tellis (not verified) on Sat, 19/09/2009 - 15:32.In islamic countries Honour Killings are normal, because their religion permits it. Under those conditions MUSLIMS cannot fit into WESTERN SOCIETY. That is reason why Muslims should not allowed into countries of the European Union. As for permitting TURKEY to become a member of the E.U. that should never be allowed to happen.
Islam is not compatible with Christianity, and to even think that possible is playing with FIRE. I myself keep Muslims at arms reach, never any closer, because I know that they will never be real FRIENDS, because their religion does not really accept Christians as equals.
The killing of the Muslim girl in Italy is not the exception, but the RULE.
Unregistered user
Honour killing
Submitted by shafko on Sat, 26/09/2009 - 14:57.I am great friend of observers.france24.
Islam is compatible with all religion. In every prayer it prays for all the prophets like Abraham,Jesus etc. It abolished child being buried alive by the pagan Arabs. It paved a way for the widows marriage when the Bible objects to it. Of course the Muslim terrorists are doing very bad thing. But Islam never taught terrorism. One should not take single verse from Holy Quran and claim it to be pro terrorism. Never,Islam is anti terrorism. I have learnt Bible, I go to Church. I have Christian friends and Jewish too. I love them. They too love me. It's all our attitude and aptitude. Hate breeds hate. Love breeds love.
Why not we be united and banish terrorism whether Muslims or non Muslims?
Unregistered user
replying to the comment above - check your facts!
Submitted by imbecil hunter (not verified) on Sat, 19/09/2009 - 17:12.a reply to the comments posted above.
before starting to give your personal opinion as facts, try to learn a bit about the real situation.
you said :
"In islamic countries Honour Killings are normal, because their religion permits it"
This is not a true statement, the islamic religion does not permits honour killing, in fact it's rather a cultural issue than a religious issue.
you said:
"Under those conditions MUSLIMS cannot fit into WESTERN SOCIETY. That is reason why Muslims should not allowed into countries of the European Union."
the European union have it's own indigenous Muslims even before the immigration that followed WW2 due to man labor shortage.
you said:
"Islam is not compatible with Christianity."
No religion is compatible with an other, they all try to take over the other,
Inquisition, Holocaust, Crusades .... Ring a bell ;) ?
You said:
"I myself keep Muslims at arms reach, never any closer, because I know that they will never be real FRIENDS, because their religion does not really accept Christians as equals."
Why to deal with them in this case, better stay away than pretend to be a friend, you're the one deceiving in this case.
And all religions classify the other as non equal SMARTASS!
You said:
"The killing of the Muslim girl in Italy is not the exception, but the RULE."
It's just a homicide, there's hundreds that happen each day in the world, and a big percentage it's done by a family member, but the difference is that the media won't pick it up, because it's not that interesting
Unregistered user
honor killings are
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 20/09/2009 - 21:24.honor killings are compatible only with islam
Unregistered user
Honour killing In muslim countries.
Submitted by Annoymous (not verified) on Sun, 20/09/2009 - 07:55.Yes it has nothing to do with religion but a culturail issue but why don't these Government make it a capital punishment to do that.
Yes in the U.S. I see killing in my own city of Tracy California , of Cantu a girl only eight years old by a Sunday School teacher just ggogle it why is it that the Headline does not read a Christian 26 years old raped & molested and killed an 8 year old christian girl and dumped her body in a pond in a suit case. this happens in the U.S. all all the time.
whether it is honor killing or a senseless killing of an 8 year old are all done by individuals with sick minds !
Unregistered user