Honour killing story: Leyla (1993)

Leyla
born 1975
murdered: 8/9 February 1993
Residence: Albbruck / Waldshut (Baden-Württemberg)
Origin: Turkey
Children:
Perpetrator: her father Sami (52 years old at the time of the crime)

Leyla was born in Germany and engaged at the age of 14 to a Turk in Turkey whom she does not know. She runs away, but is brought back by the police. She is then married off by her family in 1991.

At age 17, Leyla wants a divorce, but she suddenly disappears. The Youth Care Agency is called in several times. However, the personnel of the Youth Welfare Office withdrew on the view that the return of Leyla, who is not yet of age, to her parents could not be avoided. On the night of February 9, 1993, the father kills his daughter and dismembers her. He buries the torso in the forest. He disposes of the other parts of the body with the garbage. A week later, Leyla's parents leave for Turkey with five children. Three other older siblings have already left home and presumably remain in Germany.

On March 9, 1993, the police find her body. Leyla's parents are arrested the next day in Antakya in southeastern Turkey. The father confesses. For this he receives a Turkish prison sentence of 1 year and 6 months.

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.