Honour killing story: Ivona (2010)

Ivona
born: 1976
murdered: September 10, 2010
Residence: Düsseldorf
Origin: Macedonia
Children: 3 daughters (aged 3-5 at the time of the crime)
Perpetrator: her husband Ozan/Adnan (31 years old)

Ozan (or Adnan) works as a car salesman, his deaf wife takes care of their three common children. They all have German nationality.

When the daughters were in kindergarten on September 10, 2010, Ozan beat his wife to the ground with a chair. He then stabs her 16 times with a kitchen knife. He then calls the police, confesses to the crime and allows himself to be arrested without resistance. The three children were taken to relatives. The arrest warrant is first for manslaughter, later for murder.

In April 2011, the trial begins. Extra security measures have been taken because of previous threats. Ozan is sentenced to eight years in prison for manslaughter in the heat of the moment.

The victim's family appeals. In August 2012, the Federal Court of Justice rules that the case must be re-tried. The court must examine whether a murder conviction is possible. In October, the sentence is increased to 10 years in prison for treasonous murder in a state of affection. The real name of the victim has not been released.

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.