Honour killing story: Fuad (2008)

Fuad
born: 1977
stabbed: 5 August 2008
Residence: Ibbenbüren / Münster
Origin: Victim: Syria; Perpetrator: Turkey (both Kurds / Yezidis)
Children:
Perpetrators: 5 Kurds between the ages of 19 and 52

After a braking maneuver with head-on collision, a chase ensues in the industrial area of Lotte-Büren (Westphalia). A 31-year-old Syrian from Ibbenbüren is dragged out of his car and stabbed by the 40-year-old main perpetrator. The motive: when the wife of the main perpetrator divorced some time ago, the couple would have helped her move. That help must now be avenged.

There is further a rumor that this woman had an affair with the victim. But this is probably a protective accusation by the perpetrator. He hopes to use it to make his crime plausible.

The prosecutor speaks of a planned, prepared and brutal act. The evidence is only sufficient for manslaughter. However, according to the prosecutor, it is "a hair's breadth away from murder". An aggrieved party speaks of honor killing.

In June 2009, the Münster district court convicted the Kurds of jointly committing manslaughter: the 40-year-old main perpetrator must serve twelve years in prison, the others nine to ten years. The youngest got off with a seven-year juvenile sentence. After the sentences were handed down, riots broke out. Later, the sentences were reduced to 6 to 11 years in prison.

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.