Honour killing story: 3 children (2014)

3 children
born: 2011, 2012, 2013
thrown out of the window: 18 March 2014
Location: Treuchtlingen/Franken
Origin: Perpetrator: Iraq
Perpetrator: her father Aras K. (30 years)

The 30-year-old Aras comes from Iraq. His 22-year-old wife Katja comes from Portugal and wears a headscarf for him. They live in seclusion and have 3 children: a 10 month old boy and his sisters of 2 and 3 years old.

The father initially works for a car supplier, but is then unemployed. The children are not allowed to play outside. Neighbours only know them from behind the window.

In March 2014 the woman will divorce and move to her sister in Baden-Württemberg. To convince his wife to return, Aras threatens to hurt the children. A few days later, he lives up to his threats and throws the children out of the window. He jumps after them himself. Everyone survives seriously injured.

The perpetrator has been arrested. In June he dies as a result of an attempted suicide.

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.