Honour killing story: Feysal Hamid (2008)

Feysal Hamid
Born: 1960
Murdered: 23 January 2008
Residence: Cologne
Origin: victim: Syria, originally Palestinian; perpetrator: Iraq
Children: 8
Perpetrator: Sattar A. (age 35 at the time of the crime)

Feysal has 8 children in Syria and comes to Cologne in 2004. He is tolerated and works as a cook. When he comes home from work on January 23, 2008, he disappears.

Nearly a month later, the body is found in a sewer in Belgium with a shattered head, shackles and stab wounds.

In June, Iraqi householder and construction cleaner (or greengrocer) Sattar is arrested in Cologne-Kalk. He had probably already packed his bags to leave Cologne. He confessed to the crime.

In February 2009, the trial begins before the Regional Court in Cologne. The prosecutor speaks of loss of honor. Because the perpetrator's Palestinian wife allegedly had an affair with the victim. In court, however, she does not testify. Although the act was probably committed before her eyes.

This same month, Sattar is sentenced to 8 years in prison for manslaughter. Quote from the Express, "So despite the execution, it is only manslaughter. Möller saw himself confirmed by the Federal Court, where this assessment of perpetrators from the Arab region is common jurisprudence. He grumbled about the eight-year prison sentence. "

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.