Honour killing

Honour killing story: Mariann Laboda (2004)

Honour killing story

Mariann Laboda
Born: 1985
shot dead: 15 December 2004
Residence: Leipzig-Grünau
Place of origin: Victim: Germany; Perpetrator: Iraq
Perpetrator: her husband Samir H.-M., age 22 at the time of the crime
Shortly before her 18th birthday, Mariann moves in with Samir. The Iraqi immediately breaks contact with her family. He pressures her to marry him in Denmark, which she does. This is because Samir's asylum application was rejected in 2000. However, he is not deported because of the current immigration laws.

In November 2003, Mariann is pregnant, but loses the child due to her husband's violence. She then flees to a shelter for women and files for divorce. On December 8, 2004, Samir receives the summons for the trial.

A week later, Samir shoots Mariann in the head and chest in the stairwell. Then he shoots himself and dies in the hospital. Shortly before, Mariann, fearing for her life, had called the police. When the officers arrived, however, they could not find the man.

The murder was preceded by many threats. He had 36 bullets, one of which would kill Mariann, he told her mother Martina, threatening the entire family. Samir was sometimes forbidden to go near his wife.

After the crime, it is known that Samir's papers were forged. Moreover, he was probably already married to a woman from Iran. The German aid organization Caritas tried to reunite the family in Germany.

There is another story: Shortly before his relationship with Mariann, the Iraqi raped another young woman. She nearly bled to death. However, after an appeal, he was acquitted.

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.

Ralph Geissen

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