Honour killing story: Gülhan and Abdullah (2010)

Gülhan and Abdullah
Born: 1978, 1944
stabbed: 12 February 2010
Residence: Cologne-Mühlheim
Origin: Turkey
Children: 1 daughter (age 4), 1 son (age 5)
Perpetrators: Erkan, her husband and his son (at the time of the crime 33 years old)

Erkan is considered violent. He has beaten his wife Gülhan several times on the street. On February 12, 2010, there is such a loud argument in the family's apartment that the neighbors call the police.

Erkan stabs his wife and runs out of the house. The police immediately arrest him. Not entirely unusual for an honor killing, he says, "I love my wife, but she cheated on me."

The perpetrator also stabbed his father, 66-year-old Abdullah, in the apartment. He may have been trying to help the woman. The children witnessed both acts.

In September 2010, Erkan is permanently admitted to the psychiatric hospital due to schizophrenia and religious delusion. The children go to live with the perpetrator's mother.

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.