Honour killing story: Ansa (2014)

Ansa
born: 1969
Murder: 1 August 2014
Location: Ellwangen (Baden-Württemberg)
Origin: Pakistan
Children: 5
Perpetrator: her husband Ahmad D. (63 years)

In 1998 Ansa married a man who was 18 years older, probably not voluntarily. For him it is the third marriage. Ansa - whose real name is unknown - gives birth to 5 children. It is said that wife and children are well integrated.

On 1 August 2014, Ansa's husband throws oil on the kitchen floor, which his wife has to clean up. While she is kneeling on the kitchen floor, he smashes her skull in with an axe. Then he cuts her throat open (like when slaughtering). Ansa bleeds to death. The perpetrator turns himself in to the police.

The murder case at the Ellwangen court will start in December 2014. It's about the intention of the woman to break up, which the perpetrator couldn't bear. Ansa also wanted to learn a trade and open her own bank account. In addition, there was a dispute over a house in Pakistan. In December, the perpetrator was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The children go to relatives. It is said that the father still has custody.

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.