Honour killing story

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Jasmin U.
born 1981
stabbed to death: 16 November 2007
Residence: Gelsenkirchen
Origin: victim: Germany, perpetrator: Turkey
Children: two children and an unborn
Perpetrator: her divorced husband Ramazan U. (aged 33 at the time of the crime)
Jasmin and Ramazan married in 2000. They live in the district of Rotthausen in Gelsenkirchen. There are several police interventions because of domestic violence. When they separate, Ramazan moves to Bottrop. But he also keeps coming back and spends time in the family's apartment.

On November 16, 2007, Jasmin has an appointment with the lawyer. It is about the guardianship. Ramazan calls and wants to be driven to Bottrop. During the drive, an argument ensues. He grabs a screwdriver from the glove compartment and stabs Jasmin nine times. Six pricks hit her head and both eyes. The perpetrator runs away.

In the courtroom, Jasmin's distress call to the police is played. Where did the perpetrator stab her? "In the eye. I can't open my eyes anymore." Then Jasmin loses consciousness. The perpetrator also tells the police, "I stabbed my wife."

The police break the window, take the woman to the hospital. Twelve days later she dies. She was twelve weeks pregnant (probably a wanted child, probably his).

In front of the jury court in Essen, he testifies that his wife often insulted him. Then something snapped. In June 2008, Ramazan was sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter.

Ramazan is due to be deported to Turkey in 2016. After that, he is not allowed to return to Germany for 10 years. He is appealing against this. He would rather live in Germany. The case is dismissed in November 2015, expressly because of the risk of repetition.

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:

Questions about honour killings

  • 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.

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