Honour killing story: Büsra (Emine) G. (2009)

Büsra (Emine) G.
born: 1983
stabbed: 10 November 2009
Residence: Darmstadt
Origin: Turkey
Children: none
Perpetrator: her boyfriend Hür S. (age 24 at the time of the crime)

Büsra (in a report she is called Emine) and Hür have been a couple for 4 years and study mechatronics at the University of Darmstadt. On November 10, 2009, Büsra comes to the university to learn the grade of her final exam. After her studies she wants to return to Ankara to her parents.

But her boyfriend is planning his future in Germany and does not agree with Büsra's plans. In the computer room of the university, he stabs her. Several fellow students witness the act. She bleeds to death. Hür flees and turns himself in to the police at the headquarters.

In August 2010, the verdict is handed down in the Darmstadt court: Already during the relationship, Hür had humiliated, controlled and beaten his girlfriend. At last she had managed to divorce him and meet another man. Hür had threatened the new friend that blood would flow. Then Hür wanted to rise above his ex-girlfriend one more time. For this, he was sentenced to life imprisonment (without establishing particularly serious guilt).

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.