Honour killing story: Zena (2020)

Zena
born: 1977
stabbed to death: August 17, 2020
Residence: Bramsche (near Osnabrück)
Origin: unclear
Children: unclear
Perpetrator: her husband (48 years old at the time of the crime)

A man stabs his wife, she dies on the spot. The perpetrator comes to the hospital, another person (20 years old, maybe a son) is arrested. Unfortunately, nothing more is known. Except that all three of them lived in the refugee house Bramsche-Hesepe (Osnabrück district).

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.