Alima
born: 1988
Death threat: 8 January 2014
Residence: Olpe
Origin: Lebanon
Children: ?
Perpetrators: her parents (55 and 59 years old), 2 brothers and an aunt (47 years old)
This case is "only" a threatened honour killing. However, it very well demonstrates the impending situation of a victim of honour killings. Whereas in a pure relationship act the danger comes from the partner or former partner, in an honour killing the danger comes from partners, brothers, fathers, cousins and nieces. In individual cases, even mothers of victims can at least support the deed.
In this case, the victim's parents, brothers and father-in-law are involved. All 5 of them went to a 32-year-old friend of the family on 7 January 2014 to abuse and threaten her with murder. The next day, the two older brothers (33 and 39 years old) threaten Alima on the phone with a homicide. Alima is married according to islamic law.
The 32-year-old victim would be the ex-girlfriend of Alima's lover. According to reports, she has forwarded nude photos of Alima. Alima's mother (55) threatens her with a knife. The mother is later accused of attempted manslaughter.
The proceedings against the 5 defendants will start in January 2016 at the Siegen District Court. The victim now lives in Switzerland. Her real name is unknown.
On the 4th day of the trial, witnesses would be heard. First of all, Alima uses her right to refuse to testify, since the suspects are her family members. It is called "out of fear". On the other hand, the father is ill. As the trial of all the defendants will be conducted together, a new date should be set. The 39-year-old brother has so far spent 6 years in prison.
This brother is later acquitted in a separate trial, because there is an indictment, but no judicial questioning of the victim. The father dies. The trial is reopened in August. The new strategy is to interpret the whole as a problem for the parents. The father is dead, the mother refuses to testify, the sons must be protected. The outcome of the trial is unknown.
