Honour killing story: Katharina Heinitz (2007)

Katharina Heinitz
Born: 1980
Asphyxiated: September 29th, 2007
Residence: Dresden
Origin: Victim: Germany; Perpetrator: Turkey
Children: 1 daughter (7 years old at the time of the crime)
Perpetrator: her ex-boyfriend Mehmet S. (34 years old)

Mehmet is a kebab vendor, married and has 4 children. He begins an affair with the singer Katharina. She sings in the band Menichal Servants. Because he does not want a divorce, Katharina separates from him in the winter of 2006/2007. It will later be said in court that he wanted to live a life with 2 women.

Mehmet starts stalking his ex-lover, police notes are there from February to April 2007.

On September 29, 2007, Mehmet first abuses Katharina's mother (age 53). He gags and ties her up and steals her key to Katharina's apartment. The mother is able to free herself and calls the police. In the meantime, however, Mehmet has already suffocated Katharina, while her daughter, who is disabled after suffering from meningitis, sleeps in the room next door.

Mehmet then turns himself in to the police. In July 2008, the trial begins before the Dresden Regional Court. In January 2009, the perpetrator is sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.

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.