Honour killing story: Iris S. (2010)

Iris S.
born 1970
stabbed: 11 November 2010
Residence: Grevenbroich (NRW)
Origin: Victim: Germany; Offender: Macedonia
Children: 3 (at the time of the crime 10-18 years old)
Perpetrator: her ex-husband Ahmed (age 43)

On November 11, 2010, neighbors hear screams coming from Iris' apartment in the morning and alert the police. When the officers arrive, Ahmed meets them with blood on his hands and shoes. In the apartment lies the body of his ex-wife. She was stabbed 14 times. Then Ahmed had smashed her skull with a hammer.

Iris and Ahmed lived separately and saw each other about once a month, according to neighbors. Iris had a new partner who was in the apartment at the time of the crime.

In June 2011, Ahmed was sentenced by the district court of Mönchengladbach to nine years and six months in prison for manslaughter. An expert declares him alcoholic and diminished responsibility.

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.