Honour killing story: Hatun Sönmez (1993)

Hatun Sönmez
born 1972
stabbed to death: 6 September 1993
Residence: Dortmund
Origin: Turkey
Children: probably none
Perpetrator: her brother (17 years old at the time of the crime)

Hatun attends the Anne Frank school in Dortmund. It is possible that at the time of the crime she had already completed her high school diploma, wants to study or is already studying. She is in love with Erdal. The two make plans to marry (which often means nothing more than wanting to get closer to each other). Hatun's parents are against it, possibly because they are Sunni, but Erdal is Alewit. At a streetcar stop, Hatun is stabbed to death by her 17-year-old brother.

There is not much information about this case on the Internet, but for example an obituary from the Anne Frank School District, which is no longer online. We would like to receive more information.

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.

Ralph Geissen

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Ralph Geissen

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