Honor killing in Mashhad, Iran: Young woman murdered by her husband

Unnamed Woman
Age: 24
Stabbed to death: May 4, 2024
Residence: Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan
Origin: Iran
Children: -
Perpetrator: Husband

On Saturday, May 4th, 2024, in Mashhad, a city located in the eastern region of Iran, a 24-year-old woman was murdered by her husband with 24 stab wounds. The murder took place on Khajeh Rabie Boulevard, where the man also severely injured the victim's 16-year-old sister and brother. The sister remains in a coma. After the man was arrested, he gave quarrels and honor-related issues as the reason for this act.

In Iran, husbands who murder their wives for honor are hardly punished because of Article 301 of the Penal Code. If he is found guilty, he will be sentenced to between three and ten years imprisonment.

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.