Honour killing story

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Regina E.
born 1971
stabbed to death: 4 December 2005
Location: Kempten (Bavaria)
Origin: Victim: Germany, Offender: Albania
Children: one son (2 years old at the time of the crime), one daughter (7 years old)
Perpetrator: her divorced husband Agim, 36 years old at the time of the crime, casual laborer
During a study visit to Italy, Regina meets her future husband, Albanian Agim E.. The two fall in love, live together for a few years (probably unremarkably) and have a daughter. She works as a language teacher, he occasionally as a waiter or kitchen help. In the fall of 2002, the family moves to Kempten.

In the spring of 2005, Regina divorces her husband. As of May 2005, Agim is known as a stalker. He threatens his wife because he will not accept the divorce. The local court issues a restraining order. Custody of the two children is awarded to the mother.

In October 2005, Agim breaks into the former joint home at night and threatens Regina with a piece of broken glass and a screwdriver.

He is remanded in custody and later given a 14-month suspended sentence. It is said that he has no criminal record, has shown remorse and even cried in court.

Six days after the suspended sentence, Agim throws a 14-kilogram stone against Regina's front door. The mother grabs her children and flees to her parents' home in the same complex. But Agim also kicks in the apartment door there and drags his wife down the stairs by her hair. He stabs her in the face, upper body and stomach. Regina collapses. The perpetrator flees. The 7-year-old daughter is an eyewitness to the crime.

The police launch a massive manhunt. Agim turns himself in. He says he hopes his wife is dead, otherwise the crime was not worth it. Regina dies that same night, despite emergency surgery.

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:

Questions about honour killings

  • 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.

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