Honour killing story

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Memoona Soomro
born: 1995
shot dead: October 9, 2021
Residence: Goth Lashkar Khan (Sindh region, Pakistan)
Origin: Pakistan
Children: 1 daughter (10 years old at the time of the crime)
Perpetrators: her husband Zakir Hussain and brother-in-law Sumair Suhiryani are accused
In 2009 Memoona and Zakir Hussain married, two years later their daughter was born. According to Memoona father, Eijaz Soomro, his daughter often complained of domestic violence. "Last month she called me and asked me to take her back home. She was afraid that her father-in-law and brother-in-law would kill her," he told police.

On October 9, Eijaz visited Memoona's house. "When we went there, Zakir was not at home. His father and brother came to meet us." He said they did not let him meet Memoona, who was locked in a room. "Somehow, when she met us, she repeatedly begged us not to leave her alone."

In between the conversation, Zakir and his friends came back home out of nowhere and the father and daughter got seperated. "They locked us up, dragging Memoona by her hair outside the house in the meantime. Suddenly, in the pitch silence of the night, we hear gunshots. Zakri shot Memoona. She died on the spot," added the victim's father.

After the crime, Zakir hid the 26-year-old's body.

Five days after the crime was reported, the police issued a press release stating that Sumair Suhiryani, Memoona's brother-in-law, had been arrested. A case has been registered against him under section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

On October 15, agent Amjad Ahmed Shaikh says they have arrested the main murder suspect, namely Memoona's brother-in-law Sumair Sorhiyani.

On October 18, Eijaz Soomro complains about the inactivity of the police in Kandhkot. According to him, the officers still have not arrested the killers and are not seriously investigating this case.

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:

Questions about honour killings

  • 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.

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