Honor killing in Iran: two girls aged 16 and 19 murdered by relatives in Lorestan mountains

Fershteh and Setayesh Mansuri
age: 19, 16
murdered: May 3, 2023
Residence: Lorestan
Origin: Iran
Children: 1
Perpetrators: fathers

On Wednesday evening, May 3, in the mountains of Lorestan, two girls aged 16 and 19, named Setayesh and Fershteh Mansuri, were murdered by their relatives. The motive given was "honor" and " reputation protection."

Fershteh had been forcibly married to her cousin at the age of 12 and was the mother of a 5-year-old son, Setayesh was her husband's sister. Fershteh was unhappy with her life of poverty. Her husband was addicted to drugs and spent a long time in prison for drug trafficking. Fershteh lived with Setayesh in the home of her husband's parents.

A gossip circulated in the village of Abulofa that the two girls wanted to go on vacation to Turkey with male friends. This was a false accusation according to a well-informed source; in reality, Fershteh and Setayesh were planning to go to the city of Van in Turkey to attend a concert by Iranian singers.

Fershteh had obtained money for the trip by selling her gold. Under pressure from the family, the planned trip was canceled.

The family reportedly moved to another city to escape the gossip. When the same old rumors were retold in the town, the fathers of Fershteh and Setayesh brought their children and grandchildren from Boroujen to the home of Fershteh's father in Naderi Kohdasht.

On Wednesday night, May 3, Fershteh's 5-year-old son was murdered in front of her eyes. Subsequently, Fershteh was shot with multiple bullets. Setayesh was told to commit suicide and that if she did not they would kill her. Setayesh ended her own life by swallowing a rice pill.

Police in Lorestan launched an investigation and arrested the fathers and brothers of Fershteh and Setayesh. Setayesh's mother suffered a seizure due to all the stress and is in the hospital.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.