Honour killing story: Özlem (2009)

Özlem
born: 1958
stabbed: 21 January 2009
Residence: Wiesbaden
Origin: perpetrator: Iran
Children:
Perpetrator: her husband Javad B. (age 52 at the time of the crime)

In the afternoon of January 21, 2009, Javad, an Iranian, stabs his one year younger wife to death in their shared apartment. He informs the police and is arrested without resistance. The act was preceded by many divorces.

In court, the 52-year-old claimed it was an accident during an argument. His wife had blamed him for years in the 22-year marriage because he did not want to work. His profession is listed in the press as "actor and writer".

In August 2009, the Wiesbaden district court declared the perpetrator insane and locked him up in a psychiatric institution indefinitely.

What speaks for an honor killing anyway? For example, the fact that the murder was committed with 23 knife stabs, the timing of the crime (she wanted a divorce) and the reason for the crime: "She challenged me."

Özlem is not the woman's real name.

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.