HONOUR KILLINGS

Murder in the Name of Honour: A Study of Honour Killings.

Sierra Joseph
Innisdale Secondary School

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Table of Contents
1. Definitionpg.3
1.1 Basic Definitionpg.3
1.2 Victims and Motive..pg.3
1.3 Methods....pg.4
1.4 Honour Killings vs Domestic Violence....pg.4
1.5 Categorizing/ Generalizing...pg.5
2. Significance.....pg.6
3. Background.pg.8
4. Expert....pg.10
5. Role of Control.....pg.13
6. Logic of Evil.....pg.14
7. Case Studies..pg.16
7.1 UK...pg.16
7.2 Pakistan...pg.21
7.3 Turkey.....pg.23
8. International Organization....pg.25
8.1 United Nations....pg.25
8.2 Honour Based Violence Awarness Network..pg.25
8.3 Iranian and Kurdish Womens Rights Organisation...pg.26
9. Canadian Connectionpg.27
10. Solutions...pg.32

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1. Definition
1.1 Basic Definition
To die in the name honour is thought to be noble, but to kill in the name of honour is a crime.
This is not the view of all people. The honour of the family or community can be so important
that it outweighs the importance of someones life.
Honour killing is defined by the Oxford dictionary as The killing of a relative, especially a girl
or woman, who is perceived to have brought dishonour on the family. (Definition of honour
killing, 2016). For the purpose of this paper, honour killings will be interchangeable with
murder.
Honour based violence is motivated by the need or perception of the need to protect, defend or
restore ones honour after it has been tainted or corrupted by the victim. The motive of restoring
honour is the most common motivation in honour killing cases. The motive is based on a code of
morality and is usually generalized to some cultures (Chesler, 2010).
1.2 Victims and Motives
Honour killings target women who are often just becoming adults. The average age, worldwide,
is 23 years old among both men and women (Chesler, 2010). The women among the pool of
victims, are sometimes married- the marriage may even be the motive for the killing, however
being single will not stop these murders. While many factors go into why a person may become a
victim of this crime, some of the factors that put a woman more at risk are if she unemployed,
illiterate and/or living in impoverished conditions (Preliminary examination of so-called
honour killings in Canada, 2015).
The reasons a person may become a victim of an honour killing are bountiful and vary amongst
the religions and cultures. Some examples of why a girl may be murdered are if they,
refuse to cover their hair, their faces, or their bodies or act as their family's domestic
servant; wear makeup or Western clothing; choose friends from another religion; date;
seek to obtain an advanced education; refuse an arranged marriage; seek a divorce from a
violent husband; marry against their parents' wishes; or behave in ways that are

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considered too independent, which might mean anything from driving a car to spending
time or living away from home or family. (Chesler, 2009).
These are only some of the reasons that have been identified as the motive of the killer.
1.3 Methods
The methods used to kill the victim vary depending on situation. The number of victims, location
and motive of the killer are factors that may influence the way the victim is murdered. In a study
of honour killings in North America and Europe, some of the most common methods were
stabbing, shooting, throats cut and strangulation. Some methods are not as common but are
known to be used in honour killing cases. These include: being burned to death, stoned, beaten
and immolated. These are not the only methods but they are among the common (Chesler, 2009).
In another study, it was shown that 53% of victims in worldwide cases were tortured before they
were killed. This means they died in agony, not instantly. Also, this means more than half of
victims died slowly, in pain. These methods of torture range from being raped, burned or stoned
to death and/or being stabbed many times before death (Chesler, 2010).
1.4 Honour Killings vs Domestic Violence
Honour killings differ significantly from domestic violence murders in many ways. It is a
misconception that the two may be confused or switched with each other. The differences are
abundant and important in characterizing the killing. The three main factors that separate
domestic violence from honour killings are: planning, family complicity and stigma.
(Preliminary examination of so-called honour killings in Canada, 2015)
While domestic violence murders are often quickly committed without planning or
consideration, honour killings take much more time to be executed. First, the victim may be
stalked or threatened for months before the actual killing. They may be warned if they continue
to act in a certain way, death will follow. The murder will be planned out intricately, from the
method to covering up the crime. There is often even a plan on what to do if the victim gets
away. These plans are put together by killers and accomplices. These accomplices may do the
stalking or making sure the crime goes as planned (Chesler, 2009).

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Domestic violence murders are committed by one person, a honour killings involve multiple
people. There is the hands on killer who delivers the fatal task. In most cases, the perpetrator of
these crimes are men from the victims family-of-origin. The perpetrators often include the
father, uncles, brothers, cousin and even a grandfather. Along with these killers, there are also
accomplices. This is where even more members of the family may get involved, even female
ones. Mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers may help to plan the execution and play a part in
providing a sense of safety to the victim before luring them to their death (Chesler, 2015).
In some communities, when an honour killing is committed the killer is not faced with any
negative stigma from their family or community. The law in some countries, including Pakistan,
perpetrators will not be prosecuted because the law allows the victims family to forgive the
murderer. Since the killer is often a member of this family, they will be forgiven and then face no
punishment (Kristof, 2016).
1.5 Categorizing/ Generalizing
While it is easy to categorize certain crimes to particular countries, religion or ethnic groups,
these generalizations are not always accurate. Honour killings have roots in many regions of the
world but recent cases can be found in many countries around the world, including Afghanistan,
Canada, Egypt, India, Pakistan, United Kingdom and the United States. This practice is also
found among multiple religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Sikhism
(Chesler, 2010). The most infamous countries for honour killings are Pakistan, a Muslim
majority country and India, a Hindu majority country. These religions along with Sikhism
account for most honour killings however it needs to be remembered that this crime is not
limited to certain countries and religions (Chesler, 2012).

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2. Significance
Honour based violence and crimes are a global issue. No country or region is excluded from
incidents involving such crimes. Honour based violence is defined as a violent crime or incident
which may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family or community.
(Honour based violence, 2015). Honour based violence can also be motivated by the need or
perception of the need to restore ones honour, as stated earlier. This motive is the one most
common in honour killing cases.
The United Nations Population Fund estimates there are 5,000 victims of honour killings each
year worldwide. That means every day, 13 women are killed around the world in the name of
honour (Ending violence against women and girls, 2016). However, this number may be
reasonable for the country of Pakistan alone, not worldwide. The global number for honour
killings is most likely underestimated each year due to the incorrect number of cases reported.
Many cases go unreported or are falsely reported as suicides (Preliminary examination of socalled honour killings in canada, 2015).
When this global issue was thrust into the spotlight, academics responded in a written form,
amongst other formats. International scholars are writing from backgrounds in criminology,
sociology, psychology, womens and gender studies, English, history, policing and law while
positioning their expertise to make sense of so-called honour killings in theory, policy and
practice. (Aujla, 2015). People from all disciplines were coming together to understand this
epidemic. It is not an isolated issue specific to one study, as it is not isolated to a specific nation
or religion.
The victims of this crime, usually women, live in fear. If they do one thing wrong, they could pay
the ultimate price, with their life. Their lives are ruled by this fear. They are afraid of their own
fathers and brothers, the people who should only bring love and support into their lives. The
victims cannot feel safe within their own homes, own villages, and their own lives. They fear the
possible killers but cannot do anything about it. When police forces turn a blind eye and the
government simply let the murderer go without punishment, the potential victims lose faith in
society. There is nowhere to turn for help. These victims are being oppressed. Thousands of lives
are lost without a single media post, lives slipping away without a single cry. This cannot
continue (Europe grapples with honor killings, 2004).

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Honour killings are only a branch of violence and discrimination of women. Many issues fall
under the umbrella of this topic, but honour killings are one of the most extreme because they are
fatal. Discrimination against women is present in each country, just in different forms. In these
nations, the government institutions fail the victims and the criminal go unpunished accordingly.
If these crimes continue to be simply brushed off or ignored, they will only get worse. It is the
responsibility of the government to uphold the rights and freedoms of women so they need not
live in fear. This responsibility also includes the need to prevent, protect and provide a resolution
for all people no matter their sex, age, status or relation (Impunity for domestic violence,
honour killings cannot continue, 2010).

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3. Background
It is sometimes difficult to get a true historical view on honour based violence because the action
of such crimes would have been covered up. If the family or community were to kill someone
because of shameful act, they would not want to remember or record what brought such
dishonour to them. The best way to study honour based violence and honour killings through
history are through the laws, practices and events that directed by the motive or were influenced
by honour. (Historical overview, n.d.)
Honour killings have taken place since the ancient Roman times. In these Roman times the
senior male of the household, the pater familias, was given the right to kill an unmarried yet
sexually active daughter or an adulterous wife. In medieval Europe, early Jewish law condoned
honour based crime when an adulterous wife and her partner were punishable to death by stoning
(Preliminary examination of so-called honour killings in Canada, 2015).
Honour based violence can also be seen in historical practices and events. Dueling to prove a
mans honour is an example that impacted western cultures and societies until it went out of
practice. In different countries such as Brazil, Peru and Mexico there were laws in place that
allowed men or husbands to kill women or wives if they committed adulterous acts. These laws
were abolished eventually, but they existed at a point in history (Preliminary examination of socalled honour killings in Canada, 2015).
Currently, honour killings are most prominent in some countries that have a Muslim majority
population. This includes countries like Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Pakistan is one of the
most infamous countries for this crime. It was estimated that 1,000 cases were reported each year
but the numbers are truly much higher. However, in the Hindu majority country of India,
honour killings are a common occurrence as well. In India, the amount of cases is increasing,
showing a rise in this crime (Chesler, 2012).
However, neither of these religions openly condone murder for honour. Experts and scholars
ensure that the sacred text in Islamic religion, the Quran has no basis or reasoning excusing
these murders. Some experts believe the traditional and cultural origins of the crimes may have
been from incorrect teachings or misinterpretations of the Quran (Kiener, 2011).

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This issue should not be generalized to one country or religion. Historical roots can be traced to
regions such as Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. Honour killings can be
found all over the world and across many religions. Though the most prominent religious groups
today are Muslim and Hindu, there have been reported cases in Christian, Jewish and Sikh
groups/communities (Preliminary examination of so-called honour killings in Canada, 2015).
In 2002 and 2004, the U.N decided to try to end honour killings and honour-related crimes. At a
meeting at The Hague, the home of the U.N.s international court of justice, in 2004, U.K. law
enforcement officers announced plans to reopen and reexamine previous murder cases to
understand if they were honour murders. This was the first real step towards a resolution and not
much came from it. Honour killings are still rampant in many parts of the world (Chesler, 2010).

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4. Expert
Phyllis Chesler is an American writer who is very educated on many global issues. She is a
retired professor of psychology at the University College of New York. She is a retired
psychotherapist and courtroom expert witness as well. She is a legendary and practicing feminist
and writer (Biography, 2016).
Earlier in her career, Chesler co-founded multiple networks and associations to help women.
These include, The Association for Women in Psychology, The National Womens Health
Network and The International Committee for Women of the Wall. These were founded in 1969,
1974 and 1989, respectively (Biography, 2016).
Among all her other accomplishment, Chesler is an author of sixteen books. Most of these books
are based around social issues to do with gender, terrorism and other global concerns. Her most
famous books include: With Child: A Diary of Motherhood; Mothers on Trial: The Battle for
Children and Custody; Woman's Inhumanity to Woman; Women of the Wall: Claiming Sacred
Ground at Judaism's Holy Site; The New Anti-Semitism; The Death of Feminism: What's Next in
the Struggle For Women's Freedom; An American Bride in Kabul and Living History: On the
Front Lines for Israel and the Jews. The one book that reached the largest audience is Women
and Madness which has sold 25 million copies. This book has been deemed a landmark feminist
classic. It was reviewed as Intense, rapid, brilliant. A pioneer contribution to the feminization
of psychiatric thinking and practice.by The New York Times Book Review. (Biography,
2016).
In 2009 2012, she conducted three studies on honour based violence and honour killings. The
studies were all published in the Middle East Quarterly. The studies were named, Worldwide
Trends in Honor Killings, Are Honor Killings Simply Domestic Violence and Hindu vs. Muslim
Honor Killings. These studies were highly influential to the studying and understanding of this
epidemic.
The first study, Worldwide Trends in Honor Killings was published in Spring of 2010. This study
documented the differences between the two prominent ways an honour killing would be
committed. The study analyzed 172 incidents with 230 honour killing victims. English language
media sources were used to gain the information needed to compare cases. The cases were then

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categorized by place of origin, North America, Europe and the Muslim World - by which she
means Muslim majority countries. 33 of the cases came from North America, 67 from Europe
and 130 from the Muslim World. She then analyzed the average age, and by percentage; killed
by family of origin, family position daughter/sister, wife/girlfriends or other, parental
participation, multiple perpetrators, multiple victims, tortured and motive too western or
sexually impropriety. She then calculated the numbers for a worldwide view. This information
was evaluated in five tables; Entire Population, Women Only All Ages, Females 25 Years of Age
and Younger, Females 18 Years of Age and Younger and 26 Years of Age and Older. This study
was incredibly helpful in comparing the statistics between the different regions. In reading this
study, the misconception of honour killings just occurring in Muslim majority countries or just in
the Middle East was clearly shown to be unfounded (Chesler, 2010).
The second study, Are Honor Killings Simply Domestic Violence? was published in spring of
2009. This study challenged the thought that a domestic violence murder and an honour killing
could be mistaken for the other. The first table of this study is called, the characteristics of
honour killings and domestic violence. It displayed the differences between the two crimes
clearly and concisely. The second table showed North American Honor Killings both successful
and attempted. The third table documented European Honor Killings. In these tables they
documented the victims name, age, year and location of case, perpetrators name and origin,
motive and method. Through these details and examples, the crime of honour killings is
differentiated from the act of domestic violence (Chesler, 2009).
The third study, Hindu vs. Muslim Honor killings was published in summer 2012. This paper
was set out to provide evidence that honour killings are not just an Islam issue. Honour killings
occur in other religions, the next majority being Hinduism. The paper centers around how the
honour killings in these two religions may have significant differences but are essentially of the
same nature. Another aspect of the report is the actions taken by the most infamous countries for
Muslim and Hindu honour killings Pakistan and India, respectively. It speaks to how the
society and government in these countries have responded to this epidemic (Chesler, 2012).
Ms.Cheslers main solution for this issue of honour killings is education. She believes that the
only way we can move towards the end of honour killings is when it is properly educated and a
plan is in place to properly combat the issue.

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For immigrants who are from a country or belong to a religion that is infamous for honour
killings, they must be warned that these activities will not be tolerated in their new country. Clear
government warnings that honour killing cases will be prosecuted, along with the perpetrators
and accomplices need to be prevalent (Chesler, 2010).
An institution that should be put into place to ensure the safety of threatened girls and women are
shelters specifically catering to honour killing cases. With multilingual staff that are
appropriately trained, the potential victims would be much safer. This could also entail a program
similar to the federal witness protection program so intended targets would be able to continue
their lives, not constantly in fear of their lives being disrupted by an honour killing attempt
(Chesler, 2010).
Religious education will be very important as well. It is constantly stated that Islam does not
condone honour killings, that there is no message in their sacred text, the Quran, that allows this
violence. These religions must be taught and interpreted correctly so no one can hide behind their
beliefs. Religious leaders must openly say with no qualification that the murder of these
women is not right, that it is against their religion (Chesler, 2009).

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5. Role of Control
On a case to case basis, the perpetrator of the honour killing has the control in this situation.
They are almost always stronger and older than the victim, giving them a physical advantage
right from the beginning. These perpetrators hold all the control during this killing. However,
when possible, the family will choose a male under the age of eighteen so that if they are caught
and prosecuted, the sentence will be lighter and shorter (Preliminary examination of so-called
honour killings in Canada, 2015).
On a larger scale, the government essentially has the control. It is moved down toward police
forces, but is still under the rule of the government. However, the government does not always
use this control. In countries like Pakistan and India, the government would turn a blind eye
towards the notion of honour killings. The government and police will not offer protection for
the victims or potential victims. The victims are left in a state of powerlessness when their
government is meant to provide them with safety but only let their people die (Vaidya, 2016).
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the director of the Oscar winning documentary, A Girl in the River:
The Price of Forgiveness described the role of control well. In an interview after her Oscar win,
she described how she wanted to,
explore honour killings and how it has nothing to do with religion or culture, but it
really has to do with patriarchy and certain rules. In a patriarchal society, and you get a
shift and the balance of power changes, thats when you see violence against women rise
in the name of shame and honour (Dub, 2016).
The patriarchal society controls the women until they become victims of abuse, and in this case,
murder. The culture places an emphasis on male superiority and regard women as less than
human. This makes the murder of these women easier to understand and cope with. In the eyes of
the killer, honour is more important than the life of a woman (Preliminary examination of socalled honour killings in Canada, 2015).

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6. Logic of Evil
The logic of evil is a concept that applies to this issue. This concept explores how behind every
action, no matter how horrific, there are clear and rational ideas. There are perfectly sane reasons
why an act would be committed. While personally it may not be agreeable, this concept allows
the view and understanding of another perspective.
The killers in these cases are trying to protect their honour. In some cultures, honour is incredibly
important. It is, also, a family matter. It does not matter how one handles themselves because
their actions reflect upon the entire group. A father who attempted to kill his daughter in the
name of honour was interviewed after being taken to jail and explained the concept of honour,
She took away our honor, Maqsood said from his jail cell. If you put one drop of piss in a
gallon of milk, the whole thing gets destroyed. Thats what she has done So I said, No, I will
kill you myself (Kristof, 2016).
Maqsood attempted to kill his daughter, Saba after she fell in love against her familys wishes
and ran away to elope. Sabas father and uncle provided a false sense of security and lured her to
a riverbank to kill her. They had beat her and they believed they shot her in the face and, then
disposed of her body in the river. However, that is not what happened. Saba had flinched when
the gun was fired and the shot did not cause any damage her brain, it simply tore through the left
side of her face. She survived and struggled out of the river to help which took her to a hospital.
After recovering, Saba began her quest to prosecute her father and uncle. Her journey and story
was documented in the recent Oscar winning documentary, A Girl in the River: The Price of
Forgiveness (Kristof, 2016).
This story is just one of the thousands that occur in Pakistan alone each year. The killers truly
believe they are helping themselves and their family when they kill a member of their family.
The people are so obsessed with the concept of honour that the true weight of the crime they
have committed is not felt or realized. This cannot continue to just be brushed off as a part of
culture or religion. Until these killings are regarded crimes and people are punished, more lives
will be lost (Ali, 2016).
The government plays a large role in regards to the issue of honour violence and honour killing.
In some countries, like Canada, honour killings are prosecuted and guilty parties will be

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punished accordingly. This was not always the way it was in Canada. Once there was a rise in
these crimes, the government informed new immigrants from countries where honour killings
may be a more often occurrence, that Canada would not tolerate spousal abuse, honour
killings, female genital mutilation or other gender-based violence. (Chesler, 2010).
In other countries, like Pakistan, the government would, originally not do much against this
crime. While some senior officials would denounce the practice of honour killing it yielded little
results of combating the issue. The government has begun initiatives to stiffen the punishment
for being associated with these murders and to protect women, many times, but little
improvements has been shown (Chesler, 2012).

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7. Case Studies
7.1 United Kingdom
In the documentary entitled Banaz: A Love Story, the channel Fuuse recounts the story of
Banaz Mahmod, a well-known case of an honour killing in the UK. Her case was so popular that
it got made into the documentary Banaz: A Love Story released in 2012. Banaz was a 19-yearold girl who defied her family, by falling in love and was killed because of it. Banaz and her
family fled Iraq as refugees and lived in London, United Kingdom. She lived with her parents
and her siblings, one brother and four sisters. Growing up was difficult for Banaz as she tried to
balance the culture and Islamic religion of her home and birth country with the world around her.
Many of the more traditional values were brought over with the family and the young girls had to
adapt to these cultural aspects. Some current trends like nail polish and perfume would not be
tolerated and some traditions like female circumcision were still practiced in their home.
When Banaz was only 17 she got married. Arranged marriages were common amongst
her family and community so when she reached an age appropriate from her parents perspective,
a marriage was arranged. The main purpose of these marriages were to build the status of the
family. Ali, a man who had just immigrating from Iraq, was chosen and soon the two were
married. Banaz moved in with her husband and his family, which is what often happens for the
young women.
However, her husband was anything but good. Banaz tried to be an excellent wife but
with small errors and different values, the marriage became dangerous. Ali abused her
emotionally, verbally, and sexually. In 2005, she went to the police to make a statement of the
crimes committed. A video of the statement was recorded and was one of the main footage
sources for the documentary. In the video, she reports the abuse, the degradation she faced,
multiple rapes and threats of death. Her husband separated her from any family and friends so it
was easier to take advantage of her. Ali also made Banaz lie about any injuries she would suffer.
The worst of which resulted in memory loss after being kicked in the head. She eventually began
to document the terrible encounters in a diary, sometimes writing and sometimes taking photos.
However, Ali found the diary and destroyed it. Also, in this report, Banaz confessed her belief
that she was being followed. She recognized the action and some of the faces of the men that

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were trailing her. She even said that if anything were to happen to her, it would be because of
those people.
Banaz went back to her unsafe house and tried to be a better wife but she could only take
so much abuse. She left her husband many times but getting a divorce in her culture was almost
impossible so she was forced to return. When one of her sisters found out about how abusive Ali
was, she alerted the rest of the family. Ali was a highly regarded man and Banazs father liked
him very much. When Ali explained his actions, like only raping Banaz when she refused to have
sex with him, her family understood and was okay with his decisions. Eventually, it became too
difficult to continue living this way and Banaz left her husband. She went back to live with her
family who were absolutely mortified. Women in this culture, know that leaving an arranged
marriage could mean leaving everything you loved behind. However, Banaz was able to live
with her family again. (Fuuse, 2013)
Banazs life became normal for a while after leaving her husband. She met Rahmet, and
had a friendship that quickly blossomed into a more serious relationship. Banaz was happier than
she had been in a while. She tried to keep this relationship a secret, fearing what could happen if
people found out. She feared correctly. Someone had spotted Banaz and Rahmet kissing and
reported back to her father. It was then decided, she had caused too much dishonour and, now,
Banaz was meant to die (Fuuse, 2013).
Her uncle held more power in their society and was the main conspirator in her murder
alongside her father after being spotted with Rahmet. The first attempt on her life was on New
Years Eve 2005. Her father lured her to her grandmothers home and got her to bring a suitcase,
often the way the body would be disposed of in these cases. Her father forced her to drink brandy
to get her drunk, when he ordered her to no longer look at him, Banaz defied him. She turned to
see him wearing large rubber gloves and odd shoes, and she knew this was an attempt on her life.
She managed to slip away through the back door and ran away from the man who wished to kill
her. Banaz tried to get the attention of some of the neighbours by smashing a window and then
staggering to a caf. She passed out, bleeding from her hand and was taken to the hospital.
Rahmet was contacted and met Banaz as she lay on a hospital bed. He had the instinct to get
Banazs true account of the nights events. He filmed her asking what had happened and made
sure her statement was accessible (Fuuse, 2013).

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Once formally dealing with the police, Banaz was meant with disbelief. A female police
officer did not belief her story. She thought Banaz was simply a girl who had gotten too drunk,
thought she was in danger and made up a story to go along with her statement. With this failure
of education and training, the officer went to Banazs father to alert him of the accusation. The
police decided to go to the family home to have an interview with Banaz and her family, which
was not a smart move. These were some of the people she feared, not the people she could trust.
(Fuuse, 2013)
Banaz decided to stay with Rahmet after leaving the hospital but she was then pursued by
her family. Thinking she had no choice-she was in danger at home or away-she returned to the
family house. Banaz hoped that her mother would help her, but her mother had very little power,
if any. Trying to do the best for everyone involved, Banaz and Rahmet tried to break up. It didnt
last long; the couple was too in love to stay away from each other. (Fuuse, 2013)
Then, on January 25th 2006, Rahmet reported Banaz missing. It did not seem like many
people cared. Her family was generally unconcerned with her absence. The community also did
not seem to care. even though dozen if not hundreds would have known, in some way, what had
happened to her. No one came forward with any information. Slowly, more information came to
light that would help solve the mysterious death of Banaz. The police found a letter that had been
dropped off at the station by Banaz in December of 2005. In the letter, she wrote of how she was
truly fearing for her life and had heard her uncle making the plans for her murder. Her uncle had
people lined up to do the job of killing her and her boyfriend. Banaz had managed to obtain their
identities of these killers. Mohamed Hama, Mohamed Ali and Omar Hussein were identified as
the potential killers. All three men were cousins of Banaz. (Fuuse, 2013)
The police arrested and charged Mohamed Hama first. Since the police had not yet
recovered a body and could not yet officially declare Banaz dead it was a race against time. It
was one of the killers who lead the police to finding Banazs body. One of the cousins had an
advanced GPS system in his car that would keep a log of where the car had traveled. The police
were able to obtain these records and they took a helicopter over the routes traveled that
correlated with the time around Banazs death. A tip came from the community, telling the police
that the body would be beneath a freezer. They had seen a freezer in one of the mens backyard
from the helicopter and the police went to investigate. (Fuuse, 2013)

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Immediately, they saw there had been a disturbance of the earth. After removing the
freezer and digging 6 feet down, they came upon a suitcase. The suitcase contained Banazs
body. She was bruised and battered, curled into a fetal position and stuffed into the suitcase. The
police finally charged and arrested Banazs father and uncle bringing them into custody. Banazs
father tried to blame the cousins, saying they had planned it all themselves but he was
unconvincing. Her uncle was more persuasive but was not believed. (Fuuse, 2013)
It was determined that Banaz had been killed the morning of January 24th 2006. She was
at her familys home when her parents left, her sister went upstairs and her three cousins entered
the home. Banaz had known what was happening and began fighting back right away. The men
held her down with her face pressed upon the floor, they slapped and raped her before wrapping
a cord around her neck. While pulling the cord tight, another cousin was stomping on her neck.
They continued to tighten the cord and stomp harder until her soul was discharged. From there,
they disposed of her body and then boasted on their job well done. These details were obtained
after the police secretly recorded conversations between the men. (Fuuse, 2013)
Banazs father and uncle were given life sentences for arranging her murder and
Mohamed Hama pleaded guilty to all charges also receiving a life sentence. The other two killers
had fled the UK back to Iraq before much of the investigation had begun. They celebrated and
boasted in Iraq about what they had done. The police in London wanted to bring these criminals
back to the UK, so they could be prosecuted. It took three long years of coordination with the
Iraqi police and international laws but by 2010 both Mohamed Ali and Omar Hussein were
extradited back to England. (Fuuse, 2013)
This was the first case in the police forces history that had achieved an extradition of
such significance. Both men recieved life sentences. Eventually, Banaz was given a proper grave.
It is believed the grave is often visited by her sister-who lives in hiding after helping the policeand the main detectives on her case. The detectives were never solving the case for the familys
sake. They solved the case for Banaz, the warm, kind and loving woman who was killed for
loving and wanting to be free. (Fuuse, 2013)
In the UK, honour crimes have been on the rise. Organizations are taking steps to reduce the
increasing numbers of honour crimes. While the UK is working on projects on their own, they
understand that this is a global issue. Collaboration between organizations and governments can

HONOUR KILLINGS
lead to a movement that will bring an end to honour killings. Publishing the stories of victims,
like Banaz, will raise awareness and, in turn, bring the public to care about this issue and bring
an end this horrific practice. (Honour crimes, 2014)

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7.2 Pakistan
Pakistan is viewed as one of the most notorious countries for honour killings. Though the official
government numbers of honour killing cases are around one thousands a year, the unofficial
number is estimated to be much higher, around three or four thousand. Many cases go unreported
with the victims being unheard. The way honour killings have been treated in Pakistan was
displayed in the documentary, Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness. (Ali, 2016)
The documentary told the story of Saba Qaiser, a girl who escaped an honour killing. Saba was
nineteen when she fell in love against her familys wishes. Then ran away to marry her
boyfriend. It was only hours after her wedding that her father and uncle lured her to the river
bank, ready to kill her. They beat her and then shot her in the face. Quickly, they disposed of the
body, dropping her inside a bag, and then into the river. Their plan did not go as intended. Saba
was only unconscious after moving her face quickly so that the bullet went through the side of
her cheek. The cold water revived her and she managed her way out of the body bag and crawled
onto land. Staggering, she made it to a gas station, where someone called for help. Saba was
rushed to hospital where she received emergency treatment to save her life. Police officers
guarded the door so her father could not return to finish the job After Saba had recovered, she
was on a mission to prosecute her father and uncle. In Pakistan, the perpetrators of an honour
killing are often not prosecuted because of a law that allows the family of the victims to forgive
the killer. Since the killer is often related to the victim, they are forgiven and have no
punishment. However, Saba was determined to hold her father and uncle accountable. They had
been arrested and stood by their actions. The men truly believed they had done the right thing. As
Saba began her quest to prosecute her family, she faced intense pressure to pardon them.
Community elders and other family members urged her to forgive and move on. Eventually, Saba
complied and her father and uncle were released from prison. (Kristof, 2016)
Learning of this story, filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy immediately wanted to make a film
shedding light on the often over looked crime that occurs every day in her home country of
Pakistan. She wanted this film to explore honour killings and how they have nothing to do with
religion or culture but really having to do with patriarchy and certain societal rules. This film is
important because people are getting away with murder and justifying the crime by saying it is

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part of their culture or religion. There is no justification for murder, and these deaths should be
looked at as they are, cold blooded, pre-meditated murders. (Dub, 2016)
The film was highly acclaimed and won the academy award for documentary short subject in
2016. This is the second academy award that Sharmeen has won. She won the award in 2012 in
the same category for her documentary Saving Face. The Oscar nomination lead to direct action
in Pakistan. Sharmeen was invited to the prime ministers office where she screened the film for
parliamentarians and legislatives who are working together to redraft the laws around honour
killings. The documentary focuses on forgiveness and how the law can be manipulated. Working
with the government, they are going to change the laws so that these murders are never
disregarded again. (ScreenSlam, 2016)
In her acceptance speech Sharmeen states that this is what happens when determined women
come together. From the focus of the film, Saba, the film team, HBO workers and all the
supportive men continue to tell women they can do anything. Everyone came together to make
this eye opening film. All these people came together to make a difference. From raising
awareness to reaching the head of the government, the power of media has never been more
influential. Sharmeen acknowledged this by ending her speech by saying That is the power of
film. (Oscars, 2016)

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7.3 Turkey
In Turkey, we see honour killings for the traditional reasons and most common reasons, but there
has been a spike in the honour killings in the LGTBQ+ community. The term gay honour
killing has been coined after multiple cases fit the requirements of this crime. The country
became acquainted with this term after the murder of Ahmet Yildiz in 2008. Ahmet was a 26year-old man who was living with his boyfriend in Istanbul when his family discovered he was a
homosexual. They began to threaten Ahmet to the point he felt concerned for his safety and
lodged a report with the police, asking for protection. The prosecutors office failed him as they
did not offer any assistance and did not begin an investigation. Then, three months after the
complaint had been lodged, he was killed. Ahmet was shoot multiple times when going out for
ice cream. His family did not seek any legal action. The only case that had immediately resulted
from this incident was for another woman who had been injured during the attack. Witnesses
identified the murderer as Ahmets father, Yahya, but police could not track him down as he had
already fled the country. It had been 6 years in 2014 when the trial had been postponed again
because the main suspect is at large. There has been no news on this case since 2014. The
Istanbul court eventually asked Interpol to issue a search bulletin for Yahya but little action has
been taken seeing as he is still a missing suspect. (Hurtas, 2014)
Now, it seems that this case was the first of many to occur in Turkey. In July of 2012, a gay
honour killing took the life of Rosin Cicek. He was a 17-year-old killed by his father and two
uncles because of his sexual orientation. Before his body was disposed of just on a roadside, he
was shot many times in the head and body. His body was found two days later and the case
began. In this case, the perpetrators were caught and all received sentences. The father and
uncles were given the sentences of life in prison. (Tar, 2014)
These two murders had their similarities that distinctly make them gay honour killings. In both
cases, the family completely disregarded the legal system. The victims family who is also the
killers family would lie or withhold information during the hearings. They would even go as far
as covering up for the murderers. This implies that the family condones the murder. Both victims
were from southeastern Turkey where prejudice against homosexuality has been on the rise
partially due to the impact or influence of political factors. When certain groups, such as the
Hunda-Par Party, an outlawed Islamist group, released a statement saying that if the people wish

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24

to promote mental disorders and perverted behaviors, they would pay the price. This
statement among others like it, influence the attitudes of the general population. (Hurtas, 2014)
The LGTBQ+ community in Turkey is seriously worried. Their people are being targeted
because of who they are. Without change in the publics opinion, these murders could become
more common. There is a fear amongst the youth of this community. An unnamed teen felt it
necessary to contact police and leave his home because he was afraid of what his parents may do
when they found out his sexual orientation was not heterosexual. Changes to the hate crime laws
to include the motive being sexual orientation would ensure that courts and public servants take
the issue seriously. Without intense changes and enforcement of these laws, gay honour killings
will be an issue that plagues Turkey for many years to come. (Hurtas, 2014)

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8. International Organizations
8.1 United Nations
The United Nations has acknowledged honour killings as a branch of violence against women
and girls. On their website for resources for speakers on global issues, they speak about why a
woman may be killed. The topic has been brought up in different setting and occasions but no
great action has been taken by the organization to bring an end to honour killings. (Ending
violence against women and girls n.d.)
8.2 Honour Based Violence Awareness Network
An important organization working to end honour killings is the Honour Based Violence
Awareness Network, abbreviated to the HBVA. This network is an international digital resource
centre that works to inform society and advance the understanding of honour based violence and
forced marriage. They achieve this through research, documentation, information and training.
Educating professionals who could encounter possible victims of these forms of abuse and
violence will ensure that the cases will be responded to and handled correctly. The people
involved in these cases need to be able to identify them as an honour crime and provide proper
and effective responses. The HBVA gives access to the resources needed to obtain such a level of
education on these topics. This organization believes strongly in collaboration as well. They
have created a network of experts, activists, and non-government organizations (NGOs) to
establish connections and using collaboration on a global scale to understand these issues.
(About us, n.d.)
The HBVA serves four core functions; awareness, collaboration, training and research. By
devoting themselves to these responsibilities, the organization has become a comprehensive
source of information and resources for honour based violence. The creators of this organization,
are Deeyah Khan and Johanne Payton. (About us, n.d.)
Deeyah Khan is a Norwegian social activist. She mainly uses her talents of music producing and
directing documentaries that highlight human rights, womens voices and freedom of
expression. Along with the HBVA, Deeyah founded and is the CEO of Fuuse, a media
production company. The company aims to confront the most complex and controversial topics
while sharing alternative views and excluded perspectives. These goals correlate with the ones

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26

of the HBVA and Deeyahs work often contributes to both organizations. (About Deeyah,
2016) Johanne Payton is a socialist based in the UK. She works on research with the University
of Cardiff focusing on gender based violence, mostly to do with honour based violence and
forced marriage. By studying these topics as a career, Johanne is able to contribute to and
monitor the research aspects of the HBVA. (Joanne Payton, n.d.)
8.3 Iranian and Kurdish Womens Rights Organisation
Another organization that plays an important role in bringing an end to honour killing is the
Iranian and Kurdish Womens Rights Organisation (IKWRO). The IKWRO was founded in 2002
by Diana Nammi who now serves as the executive director. Their mission is to protect Middle
Eastern and Afghan women who are at risk of becoming the victims of honour based violence,
forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation and domestic violence. They provide
direct services to help women or girls such as training, counselling and advocacy. The
organization also gives support and advice to larger entities such as police forces, social services,
and schools to ensure a better understanding of these issues. Through this knowledge,
professionals can comprehend how these issues effect women belonging to an ethnic minority
which can lead to better laws and their effective implementation. (About us, 2016).
If a global solution is what we desire collaboration amongst these many organization and having
a unified front on the movement to end honour killings is necessary.

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27

9. Canadian Connection
Canada has seen multiple honour killing cases. Across multiple religions and ethnic groups, this
crime does not transcend our society. The most famous case of this crime in Canada was called,
by the media the Shafia Family Murders.
On June 30th 2009, four women were found drowned and dead in a submerged car in the
Kingston Mills. The three sisters; Zainab 19, Sahar 17 and Geeti 13 as well as stepmother Rona
Amir 50 were the victims. They were killed by their father, Mohammad Shafia, his current wife
Tooba Yahya Mohammad and their son, Hamed. However, the story behind these murders starts
much earlier than that fateful night. (The Safia trial at a glance, 2012).
This story goes back to Afghanistan, where the young adult Mohammad was getting married to
the teenage Rona. The marriage had been arranged by their families, the young business man and
the daughter of a family friend. They were married in a lavish ceremony and that was the
beginning of a short marriage (Tripp, 2012). Soon it became apparent that the match may not
have been the best. Rona, could not get pregnant. She was meant to be the wife and then mother
to Mohammads children. After much treatment, some of which was out of the country and very
expensive, it became apparent that she was unable to conceive a child (Tripp, 2012). Mohammad
began to be criticized for not being able to impregnate his wife. These criticisms lead to anger
which he turned onto his wife. He became more rude and controlling, until Rona became too
frustrated to continue the way they were (Tripp, 2012). She decided to let Mohammad get a
second wife to have children but Rona was meant to be cared for as well. Mohammad soon
found a new wife in a young family friend, Tooba Yahya. (Tripp, 2012)
Within weeks from the second wedding, Tooba was pregnant with their first child, Zainab. Then
came Hamed, Sahar and Getti (Friscolani, 2016). The couple had seven children, 3 of whichs
identities were kept concealed but will be referred to as children, A, B and C, a daughter,
son, then daughter again. Rona acted as a surrogate mother to all the children but Tooba held all
the real power in the family. (Friscolani, 2016)
The family moved around until settling in Montreal. The children had a hard time balancing the
expectations of their father, who was strict with traditions, versus the culture of their modern city.
The daughters were not to have relationships, or dress revealing. The two older daughters were

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secretly dating and when their father found out - through the brothers who acted as informers
he was furious. Zainab left home, which brought even more shame to the family. She ran from
the abuse to a womans shelter, only ten weeks before being killed. (Friscolani, 2016) While
Zainab was away, the family faced more difficulties. Police and child service agents came to
assess the state of the home and childrens lives. With all the secrets and attention from the law
forces, Mohammad had decided that his daughters needed to be killed to preserve his honour
(Friscolani, 2016). He left Canada and planned their deaths with Hamed and Tooba. Lured back,
Zainab was told by her mother that she could marry her secret lover, if she came back to the
family. She agreed and finally returned. As the wedding day approached Zainab was pressured to
back out. But, to Zainab, this marriage meant freedom, and that was all she wanted. As the
wedding of Zainab approached, Sahars romance with her boyfriend intensified as well. She
loved her boyfriend and she loved her sister as well. Zainab wanted to bring Geeti with her if she
was to leave soon. However, nothing went as planned (Friscolani, 2016). Zainabs wedding did
not work out, family did not show up and the shame was unbearable. Still loving her husband,
Zainab and her husband got a divorce only hours after being married. The whole situation had
tainted the familys honour. The only way to once again preserve it was in death. Mohammad
thought, Sahar needed to be killed as well. After her secret and scandalous relationship. If the
two sister would go missing, Geeti would be the first to notice and would without a doubt, notify
the police. This could not be allowed, so she would have to die as well. Rona, the other wife and
the surrogate mother was too much competition for Tooba so when Tooba helped plan the
murder, Rona was added to the victim list (Friscolani, 2016). The planning was extensive.
Mohammad flew between Canada and his previous homes of Dubai and Afghanistan to fully
plan the murders. He involved his second wife, Tooba and even his son, Hamed, in the
masterplan. During the investigation, it was seen that Mohammad had google searched
mountains on water in Quebec, to rent a boat in Montreal and facts documentaries on
murders (Friscolani, 2016).
Then the time for their murder had come. The family was told they were going on a road trip.
The destination was not clear but it was all just part of the plan. The group was split between two
cars, the Lexus and the Nissan. They left Montreal around 3pm on June 23rd 2009. They had
multiple stops, staying in motels in cities like Niagara Falls until they returned Kingston
(Friscolani, 2016). It was in the early hours of the morning when the two cars pulled into the

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29

parking lot of the Kingston Mills. At this point, on June 30 it was past 1:30 in the morning and
the four victims were all somewhat asleep. Mohammad and Hamed left saying they were going
to search for a motel. Tooba got in the car with the others and everything seemed normal. The
other children were dropped off at the motel then the men returned to finish the task (Friscolani,
2016). Each of the victims were held underwater and bashed in the head to kill them or make
sure they were unconscious before being placed back in the car. The killers wanted to make the
murder look like a joyride gone wrong. A simple wrong turn into the water. But as they tried to
get the car to automatically go off the edge of the road, the car got stuck. They then had to ram
the other car into the first, catapulting it over the edge. It no longer looked like an accident but it
would suffice for the family. (Friscolani, 2016)
Then the cover up began. To mask the damages made to the first car, Hamed reported a car
crash, near their home in Montreal where he had drove to make the story look real. He then
rushed back to Kingston, where his father, mother and himself went to the police station to give a
missing person report. Police were already at the crime scene after a Parks Canada employee
reported the submerged vehicle. The police were quick to make the connection and then broke
the news to the, supposedly upset family (Friscolani, 2016). Soon they were all being
interviewed. This is when and where the story began to fall apart. The three were interviewed
separately, immediately things began to go wrong. Some basic questions couldnt be answered
and the family was acting very odd for people who just lost their children and stepmother. The
questions continued to be asked and the story was still confusing. Then the autopsies began
(Friscolani, 2016). First, Sahar who seemed generally unharmed but that was not consistent with
the other three victims. They each had bruising on the crown of their heads that would be from
an intense impact. Three things were confirmed during the autopsy; the head injuries were
sustained before death, the official cause of death was drowning and there were no drugs found
in the womens bodies. Soon the clues began to be pieced together (Friscolani, 2016). The pieces
of plastic from the crime scene were matched with the car, placing it, not in Montreal but at the
scene. Then the investigation turned to a homicide. The family, now suspects were giving teary
interviews for the media. At the same time, the truth of the familys home life came to light. The
police calls, running away daughters, Ronas true role/identity and all the problems that plagued
this family were revealed (Friscolani, 2016). To try and understand the case, police bugged their
minivan, being able to eavesdrop on the suspects. The police were able to hear conversations

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30

where the three would be cursing out their dead family. Saying things like they deserved what
had come to them and they had acted in inappropriate ways anyway. These conversations were
evidence enough. Children A, B and C were put into protective care before the police had a
warrant to search their home. The police found a lot of potential evidence and catalogued all of
it. The remaining three children were interviewed by the police and it became apparent that the
mother, father and older brother were responsible for the death of their sisters (Friscolani, 2016).
The suspects were taken to the police headquarters and were separated for further questioning.
The inspectors were harder than ever, grilling them for hours with overwhelming evidence,
urging them to come clean. For some the story got changed and some stood by the original story,
continuing to spew lies. Multiple versions of the story were told and the truth was hard to find
(Friscolani, 2016). The court case began October 20th 2011. The accused truly believed they
were innocent. Then, the evidence was seen to be abundant and compelling. Testimonies were
given by people who had interacted with the family; teachers, social workers even police. Over
six weeks, fifty witnesses were called and the defense lawyer did not challenge most of the
accounts. Even the accused killers testified. Instead of not subjecting themselves to cross
examination, both Mohammad and Tooba, went on the stand (Friscolani, 2. Mohammad had an
innocent explanation for everything, never putting himself at fault. That is until the cross
examination began. The prosecutor got Mohammed to admit he thought of his daughters as
whores and that they deserved to die, but he did not murder them. He spent two days on stand
while his wife spent six days. Each question asked of Tooba lead her to a long winded response
about Farsi expressions or motherly love or how sick and forgetful she was that night. However,
the jury saw right through her act. They knew she was simply saying lies to escape the
punishment that could befall her. After hearing all cases, it only took the jury 15 hours to come to
a verdict. Guilty. Each received a life sentence in prison with no chance of parole for twenty five
years. (Friscolani, 2016)
The Canadian government released a report through the Department of Justice called
Preliminary Examination of so-called "Honour Killings" in Canada. It has been modified as of
September 2015. The report examines honour killings in Canada, on an international scale,
through history, and profiles of the victims and the perpetrators. This report introduced honour
killings as an issue in Canada that can be changed. After seeing a rise in honour based crimes,
there was a necessity to define and identify these crimes so they can be recognized and stopped

HONOUR KILLINGS
before they are even committed. (Preliminary Examination of so-called "Honour Killings" in
Canada).

31

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10. Solutions
A global solution for this problem is education. All levels of people need to be informed of this
issue. From community members to police detectives to politicians, they all need to be informed
enough to identify and discuss this epidemic. It cannot be overlooked or ignored. It is only with
proper information that all people can work together to bring an end to this issue. (Fuuse, 2013)
Though seeming counter-productive, every honour killing may spark the solution. Each case
begins a rebellion against the patriarchy, having their values under attack. The victims wish to
push the traditional boundaries and they wanted to assert their rights. They paid the ultimate
price for their actions but it was important that they tried. While it deters some, it encourages
other and giving them hope for a new future. More rebels will follow and if enough rise up, they
could start a movement that ends the practice of honour killings. (Chesler, 2012)
Some general solutions can be found if we look into the lack of awareness and statistics. In
Europe, the issue is largely hidden from public view. Statistics are not concrete, causing
confusion and then general disinterest with the topic. If this issue was talked about more, and
given proper research, the public would care more. This would lead to more movement amongst
the community to end this epidemic. ( Staff, 2004)
Among immigration authorities, there must be an awareness of this issue. Informing immigrants
from countries where these honour crimes are common that it is against the law to beat girls and
women, that honour killings are a crime that will result in both the murderers and accomplices
being prosecuted. It must be clear upon arrival that making excuses to deal with culture and
religion will not be tolerated or accepted. (Chesler, 2009)
In nations that do not see many honour killing cases, like Canada and the US, law enforcement
and the community need to be a big part of the solution. Law enforcement needs to work
diligently to end this issue but they must provide protection as well. Not only for potential
victims but for community members who provide information concerning an honour killing case.
Those who come forward could be in danger in their community for trying to help. For all
nations, the media needs to devalue these practices. It can never seem okay to murder anyone
because of only honour. Making examples of people, and spreading the message that these
murders are in no way acceptable will have a positive result. Having officials and important

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33

religious figures publically denounce these killings will help the movement. Being serious about
the fact that that these killings are happening in our homes, to our children. We need to stop
anyone who believes these murders are okay. They are not honourable men but cowardly
dishonourable murderers. (G. Dyer, personal communication, March 28, 2016)
Some solutions cannot be applied on an international level but could be implemented in many
nations. A crisis line for women and girls to call and get information or get advice is a solution
that could work in Canada. If the line were anonymous and confidential, there may be less risk to
the caller and they would feel more comfortable to reach out to the community for help. This line
should not be used for emergency situation. It would not replace law enforcements in dangerous
situation. The line could direct the caller to the best resource. However, if a woman was thinking
about leaving an abusive home and she didnt know where to start, a crisis line could help her
start the process and make sure the caller stays safe. There are many crisis lines that specify in
violence against women. The callers could be escaping abuse and assault, looking for emotional
support or shelter among other reasons. (Honour killings possible solutions, 2012).
However, when researching it became apparent that no crisis in Canada do not advertise being a
resource for honour based violence. There is a charity based in the UK called Karma Nirvana
which specializes in honour based abuse and forced marriage. However, this seems like an
isolated case. If a crisis line like this was in place in every country, there is a possibly that
victims may be able to do better. (Who we are, 2016).
In each case the control lies with the killer but on a larger scale, the control is with the
government and the patriarchal society. The men committing these murders value honour so
highly that they believe what they are doing is correct. That killing one person will uphold the
honour of the rest of the family. (Kristof, 2016).This society controls women as they become
victims of abuse and then murder. As long as women are regarded as less than human, these
murders will continue. A change in this opinion and view is how honour killings will be
eradicated from the world. (Preliminary examination of so-called honour killings in Canada,
2015).
The killers in these cases are trying to protect their honour. In some cultures, honour is incredibly
important. It is, also, a family matter. It does not matter how one handles themselves because

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34

their actions reflect upon the entire group. A father who attempted to kill his daughter in the
name of honour was interviewed after being taken to jail and explained the concept of honour,
Murder is murder, there is no honour in taking the life of another human in the name of honour.
It will take time and it would be worth it if the practice of honour killings is exterminated from
our world. It will take education, collaboration, enforcement and unity across the world to
forever be rid of these murders in the name of so-called honour.

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Chesler, P. N. B. (2012). Hindu vs. muslim honor killings. Middle east forum. Retrieved from:
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Defintion of honour killing. (2016). Oxford dictionaries. Retrieved from:
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Dub, D.-E. (2016, March 7). Q&A with Oscar-winning Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Yahoo! News. Retrieved from:
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Dyer, G. (2016). Interview with Gwynne Dyer. (Personal interview)
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Friscolanti, M. (2016, March 6). Inside the shafia killings that shocked a nation. Macleans.
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Fuuse. (2013, July 9). Banaz A Love Story. A film by Deeyah Khan Fuuse Films. [Video file.]
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VepuyvhHYdM
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VuJuTPkrJ1v

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Iranian and Kurdish Womens Rights Organisation. (2016). About us. Iranian and kurdish
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times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opinion/sunday/her-fathershot-her-in-the-head-as-an-honor-killing.html

Oscars. (2016, March 23) "A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness" winning Best
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excerpt-from-without-honour-the-true-story-of-the-shafia-family-and-the-kingston-canalmurders
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Murder in the Name of Honour: a Study of Honour Killings.

Part 7- 10
Sierra Joseph
Innisdale Secondary School

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Resources:

http://www.dw.com/en/europe-grapples-with-honor-killings/a-1244406
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-powerful-documentary-about-pakistanshonor-killings
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/honourcrimes/crimesofhonour_1.shtml
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opinion/sunday/her-father-shot-her-in-the-head-as-anhonor-killing.html?rref=collection/column/nicholaskristof&action=click&contentCollection=opinion&region=stream&module=stream_unit&versio
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82cbe383
http://www.meforum.org/2646/worldwide-trends-in-honor-killings#_ftn1
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/shafia-parents-and-son-convicted-in-honour-killingof-four-family-members-seek-new-trial
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE
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92e8ebdbe
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/fv-vf/hk-ch/p1.html#a1
http://www.meforum.org/3287/hindu-muslim-honor-killings#_ftn2
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2015/07/10/Turkish-woman-detained-over-honorkilling-of-husband-.html
http://www.meforum.org/2067/are-honor-killings-simply-domestic-violence

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http://www.violenceisnotourculture.org/content/turkish-law-replaces-honor-killing-suicides
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82cbe383
http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/lhae/Faculty_Staff/1508/Shahrzad_Mojab.html
http://www.unfpa.org/publications/state-world-population-2000
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http://www.inkdrop.net/news/

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wb3YtY2Fu#AN=BKM0RGK20160223.09.54.00017&db=p3h -------------- FOR SOLUTIONS