Honour killing story: Maryam M. (2019)

Maryam M.
born: 1986
Attempted murder: 8 April 2019
Residence: Bonn
Origin: Iraq
Children: 1 daughter (at that time 3 years old)
Perpetrator: her ex-boyfriend Faruk A. (48 years) and she is pregnant

On April 8, 2019 Faruk tries to drive over his ex-girlfriend in the morning in front of the house in Bonn-Holzlar. Then he gets out of his car and hits her with a stone in front of the three-year-old daughter. There was a ban on approaching her because of domestic violence and stalking.

The perpetrator reports to the police a few hours later and is taken into custody. Maryam is still in mortal danger. Their daughter is taken into the care of youth care.

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.